Human Smile, Eternal Heart
by JJBluebell
Summary: she was just a girl, just an everyday human down on her luck, then she meets Elijah! she doesnt just remind him what it was to be human, she makes him feel it! but everyone has a past,can they overcome theirs together? ExOC WILL BECOME M! Please Review!
1. Chapter 1

Elijah looks down at the sleeping form on the large bed, her face peaceful, but tainted with tried mascara tears as he sits in a chair across the room, he can't help but ponder on how they got here, sitting in a hotel room with a young blonde, bloody clothes thrown in the trash and a small ach in his heart at the memory of her tears…

It all started three weeks ago, the original had settled in a small town for a short stay and was waiting to have a suit fitted in an upmarket store when he bumps into a girl, her hair is wild berry blonde, long and curled down her back, her skin was porcelain with rosy cheeks, fair freckles scattered over her nose and cheeks, her eyes a silver lit pale green and her dress was a floral pink, but she had heavy bags under her eyes and a grey duffel bag over her shoulder "I'm sorry…"

He smiles down at the girl and nods "it's alright…"

He watches as she passes him, her face so full of sadness, like so many humans but he brushes I off and continues with his day, however a half hour later as he stands on the podium getting fitted he sees the girl being dragged by her arm into the fitting room by a gruff looking security guard "Excuse me Sir, I'm sorry about this but it seems your wallet has been stolen!"

Elijah gives him a confused look as the man hands out his wallet to him "this little thing seems to have sticky fingers!"

He takes a step down from the podium and finds the sad, fearful eyes of the girl glued to the floor, a slight tremble on her skin and he smiles, he doesn't know why he does it but he can't seem to stop himself as he says "I'm afraid there's been a misunderstanding… this is my niece!"

Instantly the guards hold on the girl is liberated and her head snaps up, wide eyes meeting his brown ones "she picked it up from the dash of the car for me and well… I just forgot to get it back"

"I…um, I see… well, I'm sorry miss for this, um, misunderstanding!" the guard mutters an a apology and leaves promptly

The girl looks to him and asks nervously, clutching the handle of her bag tightly "why did you do that?"

"Well you don't appear to be a danger to society… however you look as though you could use a decent meal!" he smiles tenderly to the girl, he now notices is slightly to slim for her frame

She can't help but back away from him lightly, not making a run for it as the security guard would find that suspicious and this man was her only escape "what are you insinuating, what do you want from me?"

"Nothing my dear… you just seem like you could use some help and food!" he says earnestly

She finds her mouthwatering at the promise of nourishment and herself looking into his eyes, searching them for a fault in his intentions but finds none, she nods lightly and says with a weak smile "yes…thank you…um.."

"Elijah…" he offers his hand to the girl

With a timid hand she takes it and says "thank you Elijah, I'm Mary!"

A short while later the pair sit in a small café, Elijah taking small bites as the young woman wolfs down the food on her plate, but surprisingly she keeps her elbows off the table, holds her knife and fork correctly and doesn't talk with her mouth full, she has manners, he also notices as she tucks some of the bread and biscuits into her bag discreetly… probably for later. He also notices that her dress has a small rip in at the seam, light spots of dirt here and there "so Mary, do you wish to tell me why you we're stealing my wallet?"

The blonde swallows hard, licking at her dry lips as her eyes sift from him to her lap "I'm sorry, I know it's wrong, a sin to steal… but I… I get so hungry! …cold…"

His heart clenches at the tears forming in her eyes, he feels sympathy for the human "I see… do you have anywhere to go?"

She nods lightly, eyes glued to her hands resting on her lap "I've been staying at a shelter on the edge of town, its first come first serve so I usually just hang around there to make sure I get a bed!"

He nods; she seems too innocent to be here, this timid little thing he finds himself wanting to help "well, in that case why don't I give you a ride… its getting dark out and I'm not sure about if you'd make it if you were to walk?"

She looks at him, tempted to take the offer but also frightened, she's heard stories of girls going missing, getting into cars… "No, thank you… I'm sorry but I just…"

"You have my word, nothing will happen to you…" she bites her rosebud lip, looking out the window to the darkening sky and then to this man who has shown her kindness

"alright, I suppose…" he gives her a gentle smile and stands, lifting her bag for her and taking her to the car.

He opens the door for her like a gentleman, her duffle in the back seat and she raps her arms around her frame, on edge the whole ride, casting the odd glance to Elijah nervously, but when a song comes on the radio she doesn't realize as she starts singing lightly along with the tune…

"So I'll be waiting for the real thing, I'll know it by the feeling, The moment when we're meeting, will play out like a scene, Straight off the silver screen, So I'll be holding my breath, right up 'til the end, Until that moment when, I find the one that I'll spend…" she hears a small laugh from beside her and quickly stops laughing turning from him with a red lit face

However se turns back on hearing his voice "Cause nobody wants to be the last one there, Cause everyone wants to feel like someone cares, Someone to love with my life in their hands…."

She smiles brightly, her embarrassment floating away as she joins in "There's gotta be somebody for me like that, Cause nobody wants to do it on their own, And everyone wants to know they're not alone, There's somebody else that feels the same somewhere, There's gotta be somebody for me out there…"

They laugh happily together, all the girls unease gone as they pull up to a familiar house, its tatty and rundown with bars on the windows. He smiles to the blonde as she tucks a stray curl behind her ear and smiles over to him "thank you… for your kindness…"

He pulls out his wallet and hands her a few bills "here, take this…"

She does with a nervous hand and says with wide eyes "there must be a hundred dollars here!"

"You seem like you need it…" he smiles over to her

She can't help the tears in her eyes and the smile on her lips "you don't even know me! …why?"

He finds himself drowning in her eyes as he answers "like I said before … you seem like you need it!"

She nods, pocketing the money as she grabs her bag and climbs out of the car, she looks back at him when she's halfway up the drive and they share a tender smile, an understanding of sorts, he waits until she's inside the house and then leans into his headrest reasoning that she was just a passing fancy, a pretty face his humanity helped in order to live with the centuries of blood shed… so why is her sad little smile echoing in his head as he drives off

Meanwhile in the shelter Mary walks past a few of the nights residents after signing the log book and walks into one of the free rooms, she takes a seat on the bottom bunk and pulls some of the bread from her bag, picking at it lightly, as she does something else falls from the bag, a picture, as she raises it to her breath catches in her throat, it's a family picture of her and her parents, both blonde and beautiful, standing behind her, a young boy, with freckles and dark blonde hair, standing beside her, all outside a white bricked suburban home, they seem happy… she looks from the picture to her current home, a tear falling from her eye and hand raised to the white gold crucifix hanging around her neck. She closes her eyes and prays "please God… give a sign, something… just let me know you still love me, I don't want to be alone!"


	2. Chapter 2

**this chapter is for my first reviewer Whitney3Tears! thank you so much i'm so glad you liked it! ok now review review people X3 thanx JJ X x**

It's been three days since the vampire met the pocket lifting girl and he can't seem to stop thinking about her, has she eaten more than just the scraps saved from their meal, has she been able to make it to the shelter in time each night… he's curious, not concerned… at least that's what he tells himself as he sits outside the shelter in his car, just up the road and out of plain site. He looks to the package in the passenger seat and convinces himself that it's out of pity, not consideration, even as he finds himself walking up to the shelter and walking inside the open door, this place not being anyone's actual home giving him free rain, seeing a swarm of youths, some watching TV, others playing on the old pool table and most just talking amongst themselves.

As he walks up to the reception desk he notices the looks he's getting, he smiles charmingly to the middle-aged woman behind the desk "Hello, I'm looking for a girl… around five two, blonde, her names Mary!"

The redheaded woman eyeballs him and says "you her dad or something?"

"No, I'm just a friend… I dropped her off the other night, is she still staying here?" he asks gently

The woman doesn't need any compelling, she doesn't seem to care at all as she looks to the log book and nods "yeah she's here. 4B!"

He offers her a small nod and walks down the corridor she pointed to, not noticing the mixed group looking at him, a mocha skinned girl in a tracksuit jacket watching his every move…

He smiles as he sees the back of the young girls head as she stares out the window "Hello Mary!"

She turns quickly and in shock "Elijah… what are you doing here?"

But at her smiling face he instantly notices the bruising around her right eye and the split across her lip "what happened to you?"

Her smile falls, as so her eyes as she lies, badly I might add "nothing… I just, well I… I tripped, anyway what are you doing here?"

He knows she's lying but lets it go, for now "I wanted to see how you were doing, here; I also brought you a gift!"

He extends his arm and offers her the neatly wrapped parcel, she takes it with a timid smile "Elijah I'm not sure if its right to except it, you already tried to help me!"

He scoffs lightly and says to her "nonsense my dear and I promise its nothing extreme!"

She bites her lip slightly and can't help but smile at the idea of having been given a gift by this kind, handsome stranger and takes to ripping off the packaging, what she finds is a pink cardigan and a pair of thigh high pink and white striped wooly socks that match her dress from the day they met "their beautiful… thank you" she smiles happily while examining the gifts

He can't help but see all the griminess of the room, it has two bunk beds and two worn old dressers, a small window showing out into the side street "Mary… would you like to take a walk with me? Get some air!"

He notices her slight hesitation, but then she nods happily "yes, I'd love to, just give me a minute to get my stuff… we're not allowed to leave it once we log out!"

He nods in understanding as she throws her new socks into her bag, along with a few other items, but she puts the cardigan on over her cream sweater, fastening the two top buttons and puts a white headband to push her golden curls out of her face, a few of the shorter ones coming through and framing her face "Should we go?" she says throwing the duffle over her shoulder

"Here, allow me…" he says taking it from her and placing it onto his own shoulder

They share a smile for a moment as a voice comes into the room "hey look, it's the Nun and what… your pimp?"

The mocha skinned girl laughs and Elijah can't help but notice Mary tense in fear "no… he… Sasha, he…"

"Come along Mary, I'll get you some chocolate…" the original offers and he sees her eyes widen in excitement

"Orange chocolate?" she can't fight asking like a giddy child

He smiles at her reaction and nods with a slight laugh "whatever you'd like…"

She walks over to him; ready to leave however Sasha blocks their way, Mary backs up slightly from the girl, pumping into Elijah who just stares into the bullies pin point brown eyes "excuse us!"

And she instantly moves, the blonde looks slightly astonished but quickly walks out of the room, the vampire following behind her as they leave he has a small scowl on his lips as he glances back at the girl…

A short while later as the calm streets he smiles down to the human beside him, her eyes closed in appreciation of the citrus coco flavor on her tongue "I take you like orange chocolate!"

After swallowing the piece and as she puts the rest safely away in her duffle for later she answers "I love orange anything! I have a strange attachment to it… when I was younger my dad would come home from work and he'd always have something orange for me! Sometimes even an orange itself…"

He picks up on her sad tone and giggle, he finds her eyes are downcast and watering, not wanting to pry to deep he changes the subject "so what was the situation with the girl from the shelter?"

"Sasha? …uh, nothing much, she just thinks she owns everyone there, plus she doesn't like me!" the blonde answers honestly

His brow frowns as he asks "does she have a valid reason?"

They stop at a bench and take a seat, Mary playing with the cross around her neck "when I first found out about the shelter, my first night she was my bunkmate… she and her friends where talking about beating up this guy that was there… just because he was gay, something about taking out the weak I think, they tried to invite me in but I simply said no, they pushed for a reason and I told them that I don't think it's right to victimize others just because their different, that god made us all unique and they didn't like that… in the end I was the one who ended up with the beating!"

He shakes his head, a fury in his eyes but face calm "they did this to you didn't they? The black eye, the lip and whatever injury's you must have…"

Her head falls slightly, but then she looks back up at him "why do you care? I mean you helped me in the store, fed me, gave me money, then today you show up with gifts in hand like we're best friends…"

"Honestly? This place you're in, this situation… it doesn't seem to fit you and I like you Mary." He says looking into her eyes

She shakes her head and lets her silver lit green eyes look past him, into nothing "you don't know me, I don't know if even I do any more… I deserve this."

"No one deserves to feel the sadness I see in your eyes, no one!" he says lifting her chin lightly

As their eyes meet he sees something beyond the sorrow, perhaps a glimpse of hope and she smiles to him "it's you…"

He looks at her confused but before he can ask she answers "I asked god to give me a sign, to let me know he still loves me… and it's you, your kindness and your words!"

He just gives her a melancholy expression as he says "I don't believe in god Mary."

She smiles at him, taking his hand and says "that's fine, as long as you believe in something!"

He gives her a look, like he's trying to figure her out but the pretty blonde just smiles and shake her head "I don't even know anything about you!"

"What do you want to know?" he asks readying himself for her questions

She seems to make a thinking face, tapping her finger on her chin "hhhmmm, what's your favorite chocolate?"

He smiles at her choice and answers "dark, with mint!"

They share a smile and these two strangers sit comfortably, exchanging small snippets about each other, nothing deep, but little things, the things that make us up, that make us smile… walking past you wouldn't know them to be strangers, but old friends, finding each other through the mess of the smoky world.

Hours later he drops her off outside the shelter just like he'd done a few nights before, they smile to each other but this time it's at the door he looks down at her and moves a stray strand that's come lose from her head band behind her ear "when will I see you again?"

Her sweet voice echo's in his ear and he says "tomorrow? I remember you saying how you enjoyed the movie theater!"

Mary thinks back to the last time she went to the movies and finds that she can't recall when it was, but the idea of it makes her heart jump "I'd like that, but it is Sunday, so I'll have church… I go to St John the Baptist's, it's just down the street from the new Starbucks… you could come with me if you'd like?"

He smiles down at the girl and ponders on the idea "hum, yes I think I'd like that!"

Despite her bruised eye a broken lip her smile beams "perfect, well mass starts at ten sharp…"

"I'll be here at quarter to then, until tomorrow Mary" he smiles, kissing her hand, leaving a tingling sensation on her hand.

She smiles as she watches him walk to his car, he looks back at her for a moment, this sweet, innocent, lost girl, he can't help but wonder what would happen if she found out what he was, would she think him the devil, a demon… or a man with a burden, her immortal friend? With that he drives off, leaving the girl on the door step.

Mary does a little jumping dance after his car rounds the corner, a smile on her lips, however her joy is short lived because as she turns the handle of the door it's locked, her face instantly falls and she checks her watch, realizing it's nearly nine and the door locks at seven… she lost track of time!

"Damn it!" she mutters and kicks the door lightly

With a heavy breath she picks up her duffle and starts walking, following her feet and they lead her to a nice house that's just six blocks away from the shelter. She walks round the back, shaking the gate loose and then putting it back into place quietly, she bends down under the window, a small but bright light coming from it… she hears a small growl come from behind her, and turns to find a white Labrador, she holds her hand out to him "hey boy, its ok… sshh!"

At the sound of her voice the dog quiets, nuzzling into her hand lightly. Mary turns her head back to the window and lifts it just enough to see inside, she sees a woman nursing a glass of wine and man leaning down to pick up his sleeping child from the sofa and take him to bed… a tear rolls down the blondes cheek at the image. She crawls away from the window and makes her way into the old Wendy house, the dog following her keenly as she lays out a makeshift bed and lays down, pulling out the picture of her family as the dog nuzzles into her side, trying to keep her warm and comfort her, she smiles down at him, scratching his ear lightly "I missed you to Boo…"

With one last look of her old life in still form, the family that sleeps inside a house that was once her home, people that were once her family she sets the alarm on her watch and falls into slumber… wishing for a better tomorrow!


	3. Chapter 3

_**thank you for the amazing reviews and please kepp them coming for more X3 JJ x x**_

Mary woke to the sound of shouting and Boo licking at her face "Boo… here boy!"

The blonde girl quickly scurried into the corner of the Wendy house, shoving her things into her bag as she changes quickly into her church clothes as she hears a man's voice "Hey kiddo, come help me find the dog!"

Her heart catches in her throat as a small voice calls for the dog, she zips up her dress and starts putting her socks on as the door opens… her head snaps up and what she finds breaks her heart "Mary!"

Suddenly two small arms rap around her neck and she pulls him close to her "hey Petey…"

They pull apart and the little boy looks at her "Mary where have you been, are you coming home, what happened?"

"Peter?" their father's voice echo's through the yard

The girl holds a finger to her lips and begs "sshh, please Petey, they can't know I'm here please!"

The small blonde boy looks up at his sister and nods "come to my school tomorrow for lunch… please Mare?"

She looks to him as their fathers voice gets closer and nods, she pulls him in for a tight hug and she kisses Boo's head before the nine year old boy leads him out by the collar "hey dad I found him!"

"Good work kiddo, come on we're going to be late for church!" he says backing away into the house

Mary's eyes close as remembers a time when her father's soothing words would comfort her, but not anymore, not after…

She shakes off the memory and continues getting dressed as her watch alarm goes off and she quickly silences it, slipping on her white strap pumps and shoves all her things back into her bag and sneaks out of the yard, she walks quickly to the shelter and gives a sigh of relief that Elijah's not there yet so she relaxes. She smiles when he pulls up and steps out of the car to take her bag and open her door for her, a true gentle man!

They walk into the church and take a seat at the back… Elijah smiles his way through the hymns and prayers, focusing on his human, she seems at ease here… like a weights been lifted, at peace!

After mass they dive to the theater, debating on what to watch all the way there, eventually they agree on a romantic-comedy that's new out and they laugh as they walk to the screening , Elijah popping a piece of popcorn in his mouth as a voice surrounds them "well, well, well what have we here? Mary Covina!"

They turn and see a mixed group, all couples and find a redheaded girl and a sandy-haired boy with his arm around her shoulder as they turn to her "Susan, Blake… what are you doing here?"

"What are we doing here? What are you doing here? Last we heard you were digging through garbage for your next meal! What… find a new toy to bleed dry?" one of the others bite and Mary's head falls

Elijah looks from the nervous, sad girl who looks like she'd rather be anywhere but here "Mary, come on we don't want to miss the start of the film…" he says placing a hand on the small of her back

Her eyes snap up to meet his and his heart clenches at the hurt in her eyes so he quickly turns them to walk to the film, hearing Blake shout after them "watch out man, girls not what she seems… she's just a two-bit whore!"

Elijah turns back to them, but the small blonde grabs at his arm "Please Elijah, let's just go watch the movie… please…"

He looks at her and gives a small nod as they walk into the screening… but not before glancing back at the group, who are laughing and looking over at the homeless girl. As they sit and watch the movie he can't help but feel the laughter gone from Mary, she radiates depression and obscurity… suddenly when a sweet scene of the main couple comes to light she darts from her seat and runs out of the theater "Mary!"

The well-dressed man runs after her and sees her run into the ladies restroom, quick on his feet he follows, unsure of what just happened he walks in, getting a few glances from the women in there as they leave… he hears muffled sobs coming from one of the cubicles and leans leisurely against the frame "Mary…?"

The door opens and she walks past him, over to the sink as she wipes at her puffy tear drown eyes "I'm sorry about that, I'm fine now, promise!"

He walks over and watches her in the mirror as she sniffles and washes her face "Mary I know we haven't known each other long, however I would like to think over these past few days we've grown an understanding… so, why don't you tell me what all this is about? Is it the group from earlier?"

She shakes her head and steady's herself with her hands against the sink, she's shaking lightly "they we're right… Elijah you should stay away from me, I'm bad news!"

He takes a step to her, her head down cast "I don't believe that Mary."

As his hand touches her shoulder she turns and snaps up at him "what would you know, you don't know me and I don't know you… you're just some guy that's nice to me and I let you because right now you, a complete stranger, are the only friend I have! You have no idea about my life, about the things I've done to get where I am… I'm a monster!"

She sobs the last words and the anger in her eyes dies as Elijah lifts her chin "we've all done things that we're not proud of; I myself have done so much wrong I don't think I could ever clean my hands of the blood… but you have to believe that those decisions or mistakes teach us to be better than we were! …in our own right, we're all monsters' Mary!"

Her pale green eyes meet his deep chocolate; she swallows hard and says "do you really believe that? …do you think maybe god still loves me?"

He cups her freckled cheek and says "although I don't believe, from what I've heard of god over my years, he loves all and forgives them no matter what… so yes, if there is indeed a god, I believe he loves you with all his heart Mary!"

She smiles weakly and sobs lightly; her hands clutching at his suit as her head falls into his chest as she sobs lightly "hush now sweetheart, you're alright!" he says holding her close, one hand on the small of her back, the other buried in her blonde curls, cupping the bottom of her head

They stand there for a moment, the vampire comforting the human as the door opens and they look up slightly "well, you didn't waste any time!"

The voice of the redheaded girl comes through and she snarls over at them as she walks to the sink, she pulls a tube of lipstick out and starts to fix her makeup "oh, shut up Susan, you don't know anything!"

Elijah smiles as the blonde fights back against the snotty redhead, Susan turns and looks at her, putting her lipstick back in her bag "oh, please, everyone knows! …does he, your sugar daddy, know what a little whore you are?"

Her blue eyes turn to the vampires as she says "your precious jailbait girlfriend gave it up in the backseat of some guys car... she didn't even know his name, it's disgusting, her own parents didn't want her after that… not even god could save your soul, dirty cheating slut!"

Mary just looks at her, her eyes filled with fire "you don't have any idea about who I am or what I did… poor little Susan, you just slipped right in didn't you, the second something went against me you took your chance… now you have it all, my popularity, my place on the student council and church choir, my 'friends'… gosh you even have my boyfriend! …but there's one thing you don't have that I do!"

The redhead scoffs and asks "oh really, what did I miss?"

"Your own life, I mean yours was so pathetic you took mine the first chance you got, but here's the bite Susie… you'll never be me, no matter how hard you try, I'll always be better than you, even now when I'm at my lowest… because at the end of the day, you're the same second rate little nobody you always were! …I can't believe I ever considered you my best friend!" Mary stands face to face, toe to toe with the girl

The redhead just stands there, a quiver in her lip as she boils over "at least I'm a virgin!" and storms out of the restroom

The second she's out Mary hears a clapping and turns to Elijah "well… now look at you! That was very impressive… come sweetheart, let's see if we can at least catch the end of the film!"

She looks over at him with a smile and nods "…yeah, I'd like that!"

And he raps his arm around her shoulder, the couple walking back into the film with a smile.

He drops her off at the shelter again, it's only five, but he doesn't want to risk her missing out like she told him she had last night "thanks for today… despite the whole my life coming to bite me in the ass thing, I had fun… and telling Susan off was great!"

They laugh as he hands her doggy bag from the pizza place over "it was entertaining to watch… listen I have to go out of town for a few days, there are some friends of mine that need my help so… here!"

He hands her a small, handheld lockbox and a key, she opens it and finds a few hundreds and cell phone "Elijah what is this?"

He shrugs lightly "I just want to make sure you're taken care of while I'm out of town and have a way to reach me… all my numbers are already in the phone just encase!"

She looks from the lock box to him in shock "wow, Elijah I… I don't know what to say…"

Slowly she raps her arms around his neck, standing on her tiptoes she kisses his cheek and whispers "thank you Elijah… for being my friend!"

As she pulls back he nods down at her and backs away to his car "take care Mary…"

She smiles and waves as he climbs in, she puts the duffle over her shoulder and walks into the shelter, logging in and goes to her room as she sits on her bed she can't help but smile… she has a friend, a real friend who believes in her… and that feels good

Meanwhile Elijah makes his way to the airport with a smile on his face, he's taken a shine to the little catholic girl, he didn't really want to leave her, not after seeing what had happed to her the last time he left her behind… but these men said they wanted to help in his pursuit of Niklaus, they said he'd taken a member of their family and he could always use these witches help, that's what he thought as he went to meet the Martins.

Across town two teens were making out on a couch when the girl hears a creak "hey, did you hear that?"

He just continues kissing her neck and mutter "nope!"

When a loud crash comes from the kitchen the boy jumps up and looks to his girlfriend "wait here!"

He stealthily makes his way through to the kitchen, sticking closely to the walls, but as he walks in and flips on the switch, ready to fight, but he sees no one and notices the cat bowl tipped over and the flap of the door swaying lightly, he lets out a laugh and shakes his head "damn cat…" he bends down to pick up the bowl but as he does so he feels a sharp pain in his back… then again and again, it was excruciating as he fell to the floor trying to scream but just coughing up blood… his eyes closing as life leaves him…

"Baby… what was it?" a frightened voice comes from the living room, making their way into the kitchen, despite her boyfriend's orders

The attacker hides in the shadows when the girl comes in and screams at the site of her boyfriend, dying on the floor, but instead of trying to save him she makes a run for it, heading to the front door, only for the killer to grab her by the hair with a gloved hand and pull her to the floor, she screams in terror as the blade comes across her throat, her hands instinctively trying to stop the bleeding and turns with wide eyes "you…" she gargles on her own blood and falls to the floor, a sea of crimson swimming around the young lovers

The next day Mary stands by the fence of her little brothers school, waiting for the bell to ring… when it does the boy runs over to the fence and hugs his sister through the railings "I miss you Mare, when are you coming home?"

She smiles sadly at the boy and says "I'm not Petey… it's hard to explain but something happened, something bad… I won't ever be able to come home again! But you listen to me, no matter what happens or no matter what anyone says I love you… you understand?"

He nods lightly and smiles "I understand… I love you to Mare!"

They share a small smile and start talking about how he's doing in school, his friends and how he got the lead in the school play, she's missed this… she misses her annoying bratty lovable little brother!

Meanwhile, half way across the country Elijah sits in the house of the Martin warlocks, they had agreed to work together and were making plans to draw the vampires brother out, to save Greta however as he hears Jonas watching the news in the next room, the original leans against the doorframe as the reporter speaks "two local teenagers were killed last night while sharing a romantic evening together…"

When pictures of the two come to the screen the original stands straight and his brow frowns "young Susan Grades and Blake Finnegan were found last night by Mr. and Mrs. Grades a little after ten…"

He thinks back to yesterday, and thinks it to be a coincidence… that Mary's ex-best friend and ex-boyfriend are murdered that night… it must be, mustn't it?

Later that night in the little shelter the blonde walks into her room only to find Sasha on her bed, going through her things "Hey what are you doing!"

The bully just laughs as she counts the money she broken out of the lockbox "just taking my gifts, how nice of you…"

Mary walks into the room with her arms crossed when the brunette pockets the phone "put it back, now!"

Sasha stands with a chuckle as she pushes the other girl lightly "well, well, look who grew a pair! What are you going to do Nun, Huh?"

She expects Mary to back down like she always has before, but she just tilts her head and says "if you don't give me back what you took I'm going to gut you while you sleep tonight!"

For a moment Sasha laughs off the girls threat and grabs her wrist only to be pushed back and have a blade to her throat, the catholic girls face indifferent, emotionless as she presses the sharp point of the blade to the girls skin, a drop of blood escaping from the torn skin as she says "ok, here is how it works, I'm tired of being pushed around so from now on you stay out of my stuff and stay away from me or… I slit you from groin to sternum, do you understand?"

The mocha skinned girl gasps slightly and mutters "yeah, sure thing, whatever you say!"

Mary backs off and Sasha quickly hands over the things she's taken and heads for the door "oh and Sasha… this stays between us and could you shut the door on your way out please?"

Her brown eyes widen at the sudden change of the blonde, her smile and kind words completely different from the actions she made not seconds before. Sasha nods and walks out the room, shutting the door after her, as she does so Mary lets out a heavy breath and flops down on her bed, putting her things away and folding her pocket knife up, she closes her eyes as she looks to the paper on her roommates bed, the front headline about her dead classmates, she brings her hands together, leaning her forehead against them as she prays "dear lord… have mercy on my soul, forgive me…"


	4. Chapter 4

**ok so i cant seem to stop writing for this story! and i love love your reviews so please give give give! X3 love ya's JJ X x**

A little over a week has passed since Elijah left town, since the two teenagers were murdered and Mary can't seem to get the vampire off her mind, she smiles when she thinks about him, even now as she walks down the street, but when she comes to St Jude's Church her smile falls… she takes a deep breath, hand playing with her crucifix as she starts to walk the stairs, her heart grits as she sees the displays on the entrance wall, the awards, plaques and pictures, many of them have her in, after all she had been coming to this church her whole life, before everything went bottoms up!

Casually she walks into the church, placing her duffle on one of the prayer benches as she checks her watch, 2:15… she had fifteen minutes to wait, so she took a knee at the bench and begins to pry, muttering to herself… after a short while she hears footsteps and looks up to see father Thomas walk into the confessional. The blonde takes a look around, seeing only a few people making prayer and lighting candles so she slowly stands and quietly slips into the other side of the confessional "forgive me father for I have sinned, it's been three months since my last confession…"

"Tell me your sins child…" his voice sooths

Mary closes her eyes as she says "I have so many… I was once such a good girl, I did everything in my power to abide by the church, by god, but I've found myself strayed from the path father!"

"It's easy to stray my child, it's the fight back that is difficult… do you want to return to the path of righteousness?" he questions her through the wooden grate

She nods and says, her mouth dry "so much, but I don't think I can, I've done horrid things father, deeds of the devil!"

She can see his frown through the small holes of the vent as he asks "what deeds do you speak of my child?"

She shakes her head, fighting back a sob "I was wronged father, so very wronged, then thrown away… suddenly, in a world where I was trusted and loved, I found myself alone and my word cast aside… I wanted justice, revenge… so, I took it!"

"What do you mean?" he asks in a slightly shaken voice

"I… I have blood on my hands, so much blood… but I'm scared father not of being caught or locked up, but because I don't feel guilty, I feel relived, redeemed… I don't want to burn, do you think god could ever love or forgive such a demon as I?" she begs to the priest, who she is sure is sickened

Thomas's breath catches in his throat as he makes the sign of the cross "well… I … Do you seek redemption?"

A teat falls from her silver lit eyes as an image comes to her mind, a small smile to her face "I do father… and I think perhaps I've found it! I met a man, a good, kind and honorable man, he's not a believer… but he believes in me, he doesn't know what I've done… but I think he'd forgive me, I think he'd understand… I asked god for a sign, to tell me he hadn't forgot me, that he still loved me and then there he was, Elijah…he's my one true friend!"

The young vicar ran a hand through his thick black locks and swallowed hard "you've made a mistake my child… the only redemption is acceptance, you must come forward and admit to your crimes!"

The blonde's heart sinks and the tears seem to flood through her "I can't! Please father… there must be another way, they were bad people, evil people… they had to be stopped!"

"Life is not ours to take; only the almighty himself has that power… and this man, do you really want to drag him into the flames with you?" his voice is filled with judgment

She can't fight back the violent sobs "but I can't go to prison and Elijah… he's the one good thing in my life… I can't lose him, I won't!"

"Then you are damming an innocent man, if he does indeed forgive you, then he will be an accomplice… do you really want to bring this on him?" he's trying to persuade her

She breaks down for a moment crying heavily into her hands but then she slowly lifts her head and looks to the grid "if god can forgive the people that sentenced his own son to a wrongful death, why can't he forgive me?"

"He can… if you admit what you've done!" the priest begs

She shakes her head and says "If there really was a god he wouldn't have let me be led to this, to need forgiveness in the first place!"

But then the wheels in her head being to turn "…but if none of this happened, I wouldn't have realized how little my loved ones love me or have met Elijah, maybe this was his plan, maybe he destroyed me so that I could rebuild stronger… so that two lost souls could find each other, yes!"

"No, no you see god he…" the priest tries to explain but Mary just smiles

"He has a plan, a reason for everything, it's all so clear to me now… he led me to Elijah! Thank you father!" she says darting out of the confessional

"No wait!" he shouts after her, but as he rushes from the small booth he only sees a grey and yellow blur leaving the church

Meanwhile Elijah is washing blood off his hands, his sleeves rolled up and Jonas at the bathroom door "dead end?"

"You could say that! …these leads seem to consist more of idiotic feedling's lying to make up some sort of reputation than anything!" he complains

Jonas nods and sighs "well it's better than nothing I guess… where to next?"

The original glances into the mirror and answers "there's a small town I was staying in before meeting you…"

"So there's a lead there?" the witch asks with a curious look

Elijah shakes his head "no, just something I need to take care of…"

"Elijah, here there's a call for you…" Luka says, handing him the phone as they step out of the bathroom

He places it to his ear and asks calmly "hello?"

"Elijah!" the sweet voice of his human comes through

"Mary, how are you, is everything alright?" he asks with a small smile on his face, earning him odd glances from the warlocks

He takes a seat, rolling down his sleeves as she answers "I'm good, actually I'm great, I miss you though, I don't really have anyone to talk to, kind of sucks! When are you coming back?"

"I'll be back by Thursday, in time for mass and everything!" he promises her, Luka in his line of sight getting wide eyed by the comment

"Good, I'm glad… hey, um, I you remember at the movies, when we talked about the sins we committed and stuff… well I trust you, I trust you more than anyone and I know it's crazy but… I have something I need to tell you!" she says nervously down the phone

He leans forward, his face filled with seriousness "I'm listening…"

"No, in person, not like this… I need to explain everything properly for you to understand… I need you to promise me you won't judge me… that you'll understand, I need you to understand, I need to know you won't leave me!" she starts to mumble down the phone

His brow frowns as he says "whatever it is Mary, I'll support you… we're friends are we not? Isn't that what friends do?"

He hears a sigh of relief and can almost picture her "thank you Elijah, thank god for you… I need to go and get a new dress for your homecoming, I'll see you soon?"

"Very soon, goodbye Mary!" he smiles down the phone as he hangs up

He looks over to his new ally's and stands "I suggest you pack, we're getting the first flight out!"

Mary smiles as she walks into the shelter with a small bag of take out and a couple with clothes, her duffle over her shoulder as she signs the log book "Mary Covina?"

She turns at the sound of a gruff voice and smiles, seeing two men in suits, one around six foot and brunette buzz-cut, the other only slightly shorter and bald "yeah, can I help you?"

Instantly they both raise their badges and the shorter one says "I'm Detective Frasier and this is Detective James, we'd like to ask you a few questions!"

She gives them a confused look, Father Thomas couldn't have…no, he took a vow! She looks around to her audience "um… sure, please follow me…"

The two men nod and follow the blonde; they pass the mocha skinned bully, blue eyes and pale green meeting for a split-second. When they get to the room Mary takes a seat on one bed, putting her stuff behind her as the men take the bed facing, the brunette having shut the door for privacy "So, Miss Covina … the reason we're here is because of the deaths of Susan Grade and Blake Finnegan, I believe you knew them?"

She puts her hands in her lap and nods "yeah, I did… it's weird to think about!"

They nod and James asks "do you know anyone that had any reason to want to hurt them?"

"No, not really… I mean they weren't the best people in the world but I don't think anyone would want them…well… you know." She answers with a slight wince

They both glance to each other and then back at the girl "not even you?"

"Me? No, no of course not!" she says with a shocked expression

"Really? Because you did see them, didn't you Miss Covina? The day they were killed, you exchanged harsh words didn't you?" the bald man says in a suspicious tone

The blonde's head falls slightly as she nods "yeah, I was at the movies… they said some nasty things but we walked away, I saw Susan again in the toilets later on and we had a spat…but that was it!"

"You don't seem too broken up; I mean these people were your friends!" James says

She takes a deep breath and answers "'were' being the operative word… that was the first time I'd seen them in months, after… some stuff… they turned on me, we haven't been friends for a long time detective!"

Standing up and putting his hands in his pockets Frasier says "tell us Miss Covina, how does a girl living in a shelter, with no money or job afford to go the movies, new clothes and have takeout? …does it have something to do with the man you were with?"

They pull out a picture still from the CCTV of her and Elijah "he's a friend, he wanted to treat me, he helps me out every now and again… is there a crime against that?"

"no, no not at all… but he does seem a little old for having a eighteen year old girl as a 'friend' and he doesn't seem too happy about what they were saying about you!" insinuates the taller man

The small blonde stands in outrage "how dare you! Elijah is a good man, a gentleman, who has been nothing but good to me; he's my friend so you can shove your dirty suspicions where the sun doesn't shine! Oh and I was here that night, all night and as you can see we share rooms! Check the log books…now I've answered your questions so get out!"

They stand and nod "alright, I can see we've overstayed our welcome… you wouldn't happen to know where we can contact this Elijah would you?"

"He's out of town with friends, won't be back until Thursday… I'll let him know you'd like to question him for being a decent human being and a Good Samaritan…" she offers them a bitter smile and opens the door

They share a look as they leave the room, the door slamming behind them. Mary falls back against the door for a moment, taking a deep breath to calm herself down… she the straightens herself up and looks to her cooling food on the bed and head to the kitchen for a plate and cutlery, however as she enters the kitchen, going for the plate cupboard when she hears voices from outside "what the fuck? I thought you were going to arrest her!"

The blonde leans into the far corner of the window and sees Sasha taking to the detectives "all we have is circumstantial evidence and your word what she attacked you and wasn't in her room on the night of the murders, there's no real proof!"

"But I saw her, she snuck out the back, even before lights out, there were pillows stuffed in her bed, she faked an alibi! She's a crazy killer and you're just letting her walk away!" the angry girl yells at them

Frasier takes a step to her and says calmly "there's nothing to put her at the scene, no real motive… what can you tell us about this Elijah guy?"

She sighs deeply and shrugs "guy dropped her off here a few times, gave her money, gifts… I think he's her pimp or something, look whatever… she's a fucking psycho, hell maybe they both are, you can't let her get away with this shit!"

"Look we can't do anything until we have some real proof, bring us that and then we'll take her in!" James says as they walk back to their car, Sasha stamping her foot in frustration

The blonde girl watches as they drive off, her blood surging, but she moves calmly, taking her stuff and going back to her room, she eats her dinner in silence and then goes out to the others, she leans casually against a wall watching Sasha and her friends play pool, playing with her necklace, during the bully's turn one of her friends nudge her, looking over at the church girl.

As their eyes lock Mary gives a coy smile and tilts her head, raising her eyebrow for a second, the brown eyed girl gulps hard with fear, the blonde just turning away and heading back to her room to try on her new dress…

Luka was sitting on his suitcase while his dad zipped it up for him; he bounces down and says "finally! I'll just go get Elijah"

His father nods as the boy walks into the Originals room "Hey, Elijah, you ready?"

There's no sign of the vampire in the dimly lit room, but there is his laptop, open on the desk and the young warlock can't help but wonder what a thousand year old vampire Google's! His brow frowns as he sees the browser history, their all newspaper clippings of some hick town…

'_Church Lovers Murdered'…_he remembers this from the news last week, but there's more

'_Local Catholic Boy Vanishes – _

_It's been near a month since the disappearance of newcomer teen Christopher Moore, the Moore's moved into town just two months before this heartbreaking event to get away from the dangers of city life!_

_The boy was last seen at a party with his classmates, but at some point during the night vanished from thin air and hasn't been heard of since._

_Christopher's parents are pleading for anyone with even a shred of information to come forward, please help this community by calling…'_

In the article was a picture of the kid, he was well-built with short dark hair and hazel eyes. Luka was left with no doubt that this guy could take care of himself… what surprised him furfur was the next article, but was from a school bulletin site!

'_Harlot Cries Rape!_

_We all know about the tragedy of our missing classmate Christopher Moore, but even more disgusting is a girl who threw away her virtue, her virginity to him, not two weeks into him living here, despite her having a boyfriend, Blake Finnegan, and even more disturbing, after she made a promise to god!_

_Then after his disappearance has the audacity to pin him for rape just to save her own precious reputation!_

_Oh yes my friends, Mary Covina, the girl we all thought we knew has been exposed as nothing more than a devious, lying, treacherous slattern!_

_Written By Susan Grades'_

"What are you doing?" the warlock turns, finding the ancient vampire in the doorway

He stands and mutters "I was just… well I was coming to tell you… look I'm sorry, I was just curious!"

Elijah's expression remains composed as he nods, walking up to the boy "I understand Luka… why don't you go help your father with the bags, the car's waiting…"

Quickly the boy darts out of the room, thankful that the original wasn't angry about his snooping. Elijah looks over to the laptop, seeing what Luka was reading… on the school bulletin her scroll's down slightly and sees a yearbook picture of a pretty blonde smiling happily, but with words like 'slut' and 'liar' surrounding the image.

He raises a finger and tenderly strokes the outline of the pictures face, but he can't block out the words around her, suddenly he slams the top closed and picks up the computer, flinging it effortlessly across the room. It smashes to piece's as it it's the wall then falling to the floor, some on the mental imbedded into the plaster, a large dent and cracks in the wall.

He takes a deep breath, straightening his shirt and jacket as he regains composure and whispers to empty, still room "I understand Mary…"


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey guys so let me know what you think and if I should make this an M, what do you think of Mary and Elijah? let me know you amazing people X3 JJ x x **

Elijah smiles as they stand outside the airport, their luggage being put into a town car and Luka already inside, exploring it with a childlike grin… he'd come back earlier than he'd told Mary, he wanted to surprise her, he doesn't really understand his attachment to the girl he'd known for such a short while… it was similar to his caring for Katarina during her human days, but different, unlike than he wasn't blind sighted, he knew this girl and he had a… connection of some sort. He enjoyed her company, missed the sound of her sweet laugh and grew to miss those sad eyes that light up the room… he liked her, she had no reason to lie to him, to fear him or run form him… yet!

When they get to the hotel Jonas looks back at Elijah, who doesn't move "aren't you coming?"

"No, I have some errands… please; enjoy the room and the hotel facility's… I'll be back later tonight!" he says in his calming voice

When Jonas shuts the door the vampire says to the driver who nods "Main street please!"

Meanwhile Mary is trying on a few of her new clothes, she stands before the mirror in her new dress, it was a pretty baby-doll dress and it was white with light pink lace flower and vine netting, it went just over her knees with a slight frill and has strap sleeves, it went well with her pink cardigan and stripy socks, she also ware her old strap church shoes and white headband to push back her curls.

She smiled to the image; she looked good "nice dress!"

She looks in the mirror to see Sasha standing at the door and says innocently "thanks…"

"So did your boyfriend buy it for you?" she asks, not making eye contact

Mary narrows her gaze and turns "no, but he gave me the money for it… and he's not my boyfriend!"

"Do you think you could talk to him about… maybe getting me a place?" she asks twiddling her thumbs

Before the blonde can ask what she's talking about she continues "I mean I hear about girls that get treated like shit all the time… but he treats you good, money, gifts… he's nice to you… do you think he could need another girl?"

Mary rolls her eyes and says "I'm not a whore and he's not a pimp! He's my friend so go away Sasha!"

But the mocha skinned girl just walks in and up to the girl, but Mary doesn't flinch as she once did "then he's covering for you right, gun for hire? You and me… things are different now, you can trust me Mare!"

The blonde eyes are empty, the silver gleam making them glow in the dimly lit room, suddenly she thrusts her hand up the bully's shirt and a ripping noise echo's through the small space. Brown eyes widen with fear as Mary brings the small microphone to her lips and says "no, I don't think so!"

The blonde drops the mic. and walks to the door, but she stops and turns back "oh… and don't ever call me Mare, ok?"

As the blonde rounds the corner her face splits into a Cheshire Cat gin at the site by the door "Elijah!"

She smiles and runs to him, they embrace in a tight hug for a long moment "I missed you so much, you're back early!"

Her arms tighten around his neck as he says in his soothing voice "and I you!"

As they pull apart he looks to her and smiles "my, you look beautiful Mary"

"Thanks" she blushes and smiles bashfully

He offers her his arm and says "come, tell me what I've missed!"

"Not much, btw the police want to question you from the day we saw Susan and Blake, you know the two that where killed!" she smiles

He gives her a quizzical look and asks "what is 'btw'?"

She can't help but laugh as they walk into the front and take a seat each on some foldaway chairs "it means 'by the way' B. T. W. get it?"

"Ah I see. it's an abbreviation." He smiles in understanding

She nods and says "yeah, their kind of the new slag I guess, there's a bunch, like FYI, for your information, LOL, laugh out loud, it did mean lots of love but I guess they changed it and OMG, oh my god! They can be kind of crass."

"I understand, would those police you informed me of be the same gentlemen sitting down the street in the black car?" he asks looking straight at the Comoro

She turns to them slightly and nods "yeah, they've been there since yesterday!"

Suddenly he smiles and gives a small wave to the detectives as they get out of the car and make their way over to the pair "Miss Covina… you must be Elijah, we were told you wouldn't be back until Thursday! I'm sorry but your names Elijah what?"

"Smith, I came back early as a surprise for Mary, now officers how may I help you?" he answers calmly looking at the two men

"You saw Blake Finnegan and Susan Grades the day they died correct?" James asks

The brown eyed vampire nods "we did, I was treating Mary to the cinema before I left town… I heard about it the next day…"

"You didn't see them again once you left the theater?" the bald man questions

Elijah takes Mary's soft hand and smiles "I dropped Mary off here after some dinner and then went to catch my flight, you can check with the airlines if you wish!"

James looks at their hands then snaps his head to the original "what's with you man? I mean she's half your age, you some sort of sicko that gets off on manipulating little kids?"

As his partner pushes the angered man back Elijah simply says "Mary is a friend to me detective, I see no reason for you to question that… now if we're done I'd like to take Mary out for a spot of lunch!"

Without waiting for an answer he stands, pulling the blonde with him as they walk inside to collect her things and sign out, Mary sending daggers to Sasha as they leave. Elijah puts her things in the car and opens the door for her as the detectives walk over and ask "I'm sorry about my partner Mr. Smith, do you have any way we can contact you if we have any furfur inquires?"

The sharply dressed original pulls out a card and hands it to the detective, but as their eyes meet he says "Mary has had a very hard time of it lately so I don't want the stress of all your questioning bringing her down. Do you understand?"

With a concerned look he answers, taking the card "I understand…"

Elijah breaks the connection and Frasier smiles "thank you for your co-operation Mr. Smith and I'd just like to say what you're doing with this kid… its admirable, not many people would go out their way to help some girl!"

They share a small nod and the vampire gets into the car, the detective walking back to his partner. Mary smiles to her friend as they drive of, her heart racing as she looks at him… scared of baring her secret, not noticing the two policemen arguing as they depart.

The two sit in a nice Italian restaurant, the velvet covered booth giving them some privacy from the outside world. Mary looks nervous and is shaking lightly as she nibbles on a breadstick, but when she sees Elijah smiling at her sweetly she places it down and says "Elijah I… do you… alright, I'm just going to say it!"

She leans in closing her eyes and says "I killed Susan and Blake and this other guy, but I swear I have reason, a good reason!"

She expects him to look at her in horror, run for the door, scream bloody murder, but he just sits there, calm and collected, a strange little smile on his face as he reaches across the table, placing his large hand on her shaking one "I know Mary… once I saw the news I did some research, these people betrayed you, turned against you in your darkest hour of need… I understand, maybe even more than you know…"

She gives him a quizzical look and asks "what do you mean?"

Placing his napkin on his lap he says "my family were taken from me, by my brother, there was a time we were as one ,but over time I realized how torn my loyalties were… he buried them at sea, now I make it my mission to find and kill him and I have killed those who stand in my way… my brother is a murderous monster who enjoys chaos and fear… were you and I have killed because we have to, because it's a necessity! So you see Mary, I do understand"

Tears are running down her cheek as she throws herself around the booth and into his arms "oh Elijah thank you, god has brought us together now I'm certain of it! ...we were destined to meet"

He smiles at her as the green eyed girl pulls away from him and he brushes a thumb over her tear stained cheek "perhaps we were Mary…"

However as they sit blissfully enjoying their meal they don't notice the car sitting across the road "come on man you were just saying this morning what a creep this guy must be, I mean look at them!"

"Dude I just think that there's more to this than we thought, he obviously cares about this girl and she's a sweet little catholic chick… I'm just not so sure this is such a slam dunk!" Frasier tries to explain

The buzz cut cop shakes his head "you're wrong man… a guy his age don't hang out with chick like that without getting something out of it! We already know she's a church nut so I'm guessing it isn't sex, I'm thinking he's some killer and looking for an apprentice, or some shit like that… either way, he's still a creepy fucker!"

Frasier taps his arm and says "dude, you don't know any of that, I mean look he's come back clean on records, model citizen… I think he could just be a decent guy who took a shine to sweet kid in trouble"

James looks at him like he's lost his mind then shakes his heads "whatever man… let's just figure this shit out!"

Back in the restaurant as the two wait for desert Mary can't help but blush as Elijah's brown eyes watch her "what, do I have rib sauce on my face?"

He laughs lightly and smiles "no, I wanted to ask you a question…"

"Well…" she smiles over to him

"I'm leaving town… and this time I'm not coming back!" he says wiping the corner of his mouth

Her eyes go wide and glazed as panic sets it "what? No, Elijah you can't go, you can't leave me! You're the only one that understands, that I have left, I need you please!"

As her tears start to stream he darts round the table and puts an arm around her "Mary, hush… you didn't let me finish… I want you to come with me!"

Emerald meets chocolate as she takes a deep breath "don't answer now… there's something I have to tell you first, but not until tonight… let's just enjoy our day, yes?"

Her heart skips a beat at that and she smiles with a small nod "ah, desert!" Elijah says as he shuffles back to his seat

But as the waiters come over and place the deserts down Mary finds hers isn't eatable… it's a velvet square box with a white ribbon, she picks it up and looks to her friend "Elijah?"

He just smiles to her and tilts his head "open it…"

She does as he asks, her heart catching in her throat "oh my gosh… Elijah, it's beautiful!" she says in awe, her fingers grazing over the silver heart locket, a smaller pink mother of pearl heart with a silver crucifix in the center

"Would you like for me to put it on?" he asks with a smile

She smiles and takes her crucifix off to make way for her new gem, she turns her back to him and he tenderly brushes her curls to the side, his fingers grazing her neck, sending a shiver down her spine, he picks up the chain of the necklace and fastens it. She turns to him and lets her blonde locks fall "perfect!" he smiles

"It smells like roses!" she smiles up at him

He pushes a golden strand off her shoulder as he says "it's Vervain, it's rumored to grant protection"

"I've never heard of it, but I love it, thank you Elijah!" she smiles and leans in to hold him, he smiles at her words and warm, soft skin against his eternal flesh, that this little catholic girl managed to crawl her way under

The walk the park after dinner, followed by the not so discreet detectives, they eat ice cream and laugh happily, the sun begins to set and instead of taking her back to the shelter she looks to him confused when they stop at a hotel "what are we doing here?"

"There's some friend of mine I'd like you to meet… it's alright, you have my word!" she seems uneasy, but at his words she takes his hand and climbs out of the car

They walk inside and into the lift, she doesn't let go of his hand all the while, she feels nervous and plays with her new necklace, biting her lip as they reach the room. Inside they find a young man watching TV, he stands at the sound of the door, an older man with glasses walks in from another room and Elijah makes the introductions "Mary this is Jonas and Luka Martin, Gentlemen this is Mary Covina!"

She smiles and shakes both their hands "it's nice to meet you"

"Elijah could I have a moment?" the elder man asks, casting a glance to the young girl

As they leave the room Luka looks to the girl and smiles "so, how did you meet Elijah?"

"I stole his wallet!" she answers honestly, causing the warlock to laugh low in his throat

Meanwhile the two detectives sit outside when they see something they don't expect "Oh fuck!"

They climb out of the car and James calls to the hooded figure that was spying on the couple "Sasha!"

But she runs in and quickly dives into the lift, pushing the button she saw the original press when they walked inside, the doors closing as the two officers reach it and then run to reception, demanding the room of Elijah Smith

"Are you crazy? Elijah she's just a child!" Jonas says angrily

The vampire stands, fixing his cufflinks as he calmly replies "the girl is not your concern…"

The warlock shakes his head and bites "and what concern is she of yours, why this girl?"

Sighing deeply the vampire looks to his ally….

"So you steal his wallet and he buys you dinner? That's just crazy…" Luka laughs with the girl

She shrugs lightly and answers "crazier things have happened!"

They share a laugh when a knock echo's through the room; Luka standing to get it and Mary hears a familiar voice as she rounds the corner "detective's?"

The two men make look to the blonde and ask "Miss Covina are you alright?"

She looks at them confessed and answers "I'm fine, what are you doing up here?"

"We've been tailing…" but as Frasier begins to explain a hooded figure smashes past them and lunges at Mary, tackling her to the floor

Before the men can move Sasha is behind the girl, holding a knife to her throat as she rests on her knees "make one move and I slit this bitch up!"

As she stands, forcing Mary to go with her they stand still "come on Sasha… you don't want to do this!"

"Yeah, actually I fucking do! You want proof, fine, tell them! …you fucking tell them the truth!" she screams into the terrified girl ear

Tears start running down her face as the blonde answers "what are you talking about?"

"Feels different on the other end don't it bitch! Now you tell them how you threated me and you murdered those kids, you tell them!" she screams

"Fine, fine, whatever, I did it, just let me go!" she begs franticly, shaking like a leaf

Elijah seems to come from nowhere as he says "now why don't you put the knife down?"

She turns to him slightly and shouts "and you fucker, covering for her, what you going to sell her white ass off to these two?"

"Your mistaken, now please…" he asks with a nervous lick of his lips, ready to reveal himself to these humans if need be

However as her attentions are on the vampire James seems to think this would be his chance and he lunges forward, taking the girl to the ground, the two struggling with the blade but Mary screamed, then spluttered, the knife having sliced though her ripe tender flesh and she falls to the ground

"NO!" Elijah screams as he runs to her side, blood coating her dress and tainting her fair skin

James manages to get stabbed in the side, Sasha making a run for it as Frasier tends to his partner, Luka giving chase to the girl and Jonas running after his son, but for Elijah the others fade away all he sees is sweet vengeful little Mary dying in his arms. Their eyes lock and he doesn't blink as his vampire features emerge, the green of her eyes widening at the site of his new true face as he rips into his wrist, thrusting his crimson cure into her mouth "drink Mary, please… trust me!"

At his words she gulps down as much as she can, the detectives looking on wide eyed as the two witch's reenter the room "we lost her!"

After a moment her neck is it flawless once more and he picks her up, her tired arms looping around his neck "keep them here, I'll be back in a moment…"

He carries her into a room and sits her on the bed, he kneels down before her, her eyes never leave him, there wide and intense as he checks to make sure she's fully healed "Mary… are you alright?"

She doesn't say a word as he stands and takes a deep breath "there's a bathroom through there for you to clean up, some shirts and things in the draws… I'll be right back!"

He just looks at her before leaving the room, she's just sitting there, covered in her own blood and seemingly in shock, his eyes fall down to the ground as he leaves the room, seeing two officers, one with a flesh wound, but both looking at him in horror "what the hell are you man?" Frasier asks

"a vampire… now you are going to leave this place with your moron partner, you're going to find that girl, Sasha, and arrest her for the murders of those two teenagers, assaulting a police officer and whatever else you can… find a motive!" he says sternly the detective nodding

He then turns to the other, James, and snarls, giving him the same story, but not healing him, he nearly got Mary killed after all… once he sends them on their way and gives a goodnight to his warlocks. He walks into the room he left Mary in, finding her dress thrown in the trash can and her on her knees, praying with damp golden locks against the bed, her back to him… wearing his shirt!

He waits for her to finish and when she stands and turns to him, he gives her a weak smile "Hello Mary…"

She walks over to him, her hand rising slowly as she traces the shape of his face, from the curve of his cheek to the line of his jaw, she smiles back up at him, stands on her tiptoes and places a chase kiss on his lips "Hello Elijah…"

He gives her a confused look and says "you should get some rest, we can talk about all this tomorrow…"

She nods and walks to the bed, Elijah following and pulling the quilt over her, noticing the mascara tears she hadn't quite washed away. Her eyes flutter slightly as she asks "don't leave me?"

He moves a strand of damp hair and says "I won't…"

She smiles and nuzzles into the warmth of his hand as she drifts "Elijah… are you an angel?"

His brow knits together at her question as sleep overtakes the freckled beauty; he'd been called many things, but never an angel!

And that's how he got here; taking a seat in a hotel room, with a blonde in his hotel bed, mascara tears, her bloody dress thrown to the side as he watches her… wondering how tomorrow will play out!


	6. Chapter 6

When Mary walks it takes her a moment to realize where she was and what had happened… she clutched her locket as she looked around the room, it was empty however her things had been placed on the dresser for her, she stands and makes her way over to the change, slipping into a pair of jeans, but she staying in the white shirt, it smells of cotton, vanilla soap and a hint of musky cherry-like aftershave that sends a comforting tingle down her spine, like it's not just a shirt but a fortress, a suit of armor… protection!

She walks her way idly, with a worried step through to the main room, the soft fur carped soothing on her fragile exposed feet as she sees a figure standing on the terrace. She bites her lip in consideration of her options, looking from the figure to the door, if she's going to leave… escape, now is the moment "Mary…"

Her head snaps to the terrace doors, finding Elijah looking at her and she's frozen, those big coffee burnt orbs gazing over to her, his gaze dethroning even medusas!

She finds her breath catching in her throat, her lip a quiver with questions. He takes a step to her, gesturing to the settee "come please… there's much to be explained."

The blonde swallows hard, but as she feels the cool of the silver on her throat she nods, finding her feet and making way to the cushioned seat "I…I don't really know what to say…"

He smiles at her timid words, her emerald eyes never leaving his brown "I understand this must be difficult for you… please ask your questions and I promise the truth!"

She nods lightly not sure what to make of all this "your friends… where are they?"

"They left for breakfast…" he can't help but smile at the simplicity and tilt his head to her, waiting patiently for her next question

She nods and swallows, biting her lip as she asks "just tell me… who you are, what you are!"

He licks his parched lips and says "my kind has been a subject of horror for many centuries' now, in stories, books, play and films; I lust for blood, never age and a steak to the heart can kill most of us, I think you can guess 'what' I am, but you know 'who' I am Mary… the same man you've gotten to know over these past weeks, the same one you trusted enough with your darkest secret! …now I'm trusting you with mine"

He says taking her hand, she finches slightly and his smile dies on his lips. She looks up at him and shakes her head, standing with a hand over her mouth, pacing slightly "you're… you're a vampire! This is crazy, Luka and his dad, are they vampires to?"

"No, their witches…or warlocks as they prefer, my brother has taken a member of their family for his own gain, a curse he's been trying to break for a thousand years!" he stands with a flick of his hair, examining the blonde

She runs a hand through her hair and sighs "this isn't possible… I can't believe this!"

"Mary…" he reaches for her but again she flinches

She looks up to his eyes, his expression vacant, but oh… his eyes, she feels like she just stabbed him in the gut with her unpremeditated withdrawal. She wets her arid lips and says "Elijah I… I'm not sure… I, um, this is a lot to take in… witches, vampires, I just…. Wow!"

He nods in understanding, his heart clenching in his chest "you need time…"

She looks at him and asks "how wrong were they… the stories about vampires?"

"They mixed up some things, forgot others… we do burn in the sun, but having a magic ring stops that, we can eat garlic and we don't burn from crosses or things to do with god! …we also have the ability of compulsion; we can push a thought, a memory and an act into another's mind. Our blood can heal any human wound, but if you die with it in your system you go into transition… then you make a choice, drink human blood and turn or don't and die!" he explains calmly

Her eyes widen in terror "have you ever… our time together, was that real?"

Instantly he answers "every moment! That's one of the reasons I gave you this…"

He gently caresses the heart laying above her breast "Vervain burns a vampire at the touch and prevents compulsion when worn or consumed."

Her hand goes to the necklace and thinks back to his words "protection… Elijah I just… I need some time to myself, because all this is kind of overwhelming and I'm freaking out!" with that she runs back into the bedroom

He stares at the door for a long moment then runs a hand through his hair… a feeling he'd forgotten long ago surging through his veins; heartache… because Mary, his sweet, ruthless, beautiful little Mary flinched!

She sits in the room for well over an hour, just pacing and sitting and thinking… she looks to the phone and walks over, fingers in a number and listens to the ringing sound and then hears a man's voice "Hello? … Hello, is there anyone there?"

The blonde goes to speak but her voice fails, her eyes closing as a woman's voice comes through "Hank, who is it?"

"I can't hear anyone… hello, look Don if this is you then your phones broke again… I'm hanging up now…" and at the sound of a dial tone a tear rolls down the blondes cheek

She stands there, listening to the tone and swallows hard "Hi Daddy…"

Elijah sits in the living room, but looks up as the bedroom door opens, Mary standing there, looking at her hands as she says "when I killed him, Christopher, the guy who… it was at my house, he came to gloat, said how he would've told everyone what a slut I was… I just wanted him to stop calling me that, to get out of my home, my safe place… then he touched my arm and I just went crazy! I picked up my dad's golf trophy and I hit him, I saw him fall to the floor and I saw the blood… people say they black it out and stuff… but I remember, I walked, walked over and saw him just about breathing, I watched him for a minute and then when he looked at me I remembered what he said afterword's, when I was crying and asking why… he said 'nothings fair in this life, you take what you want or you regret it later!'"

Elijah stands and goes to walk to her but then he sees the curve of a smile, no, a smirk on her face, tears rolling down her cheeks as she continues "I leaned in as he tried to sit up I said 'nothings fair in this life, you take what you want or regret it later… guess what I want Chris!" and I hit him, again and again and again… I lost count!"

Her eyes snap up to Elijah's and she says "I liked it! I enjoyed killed him, he was a monster and I don't regret it… my favorite color is pink, my favorite movie is beauty and the beast, I hate silk, the color brown, I'm scared of clowns and I'm allergic to shellfish! Now you officially know everything about me…"

He looks at her as a smile comes to her puffed face "Mary… I don't understand."

She takes a step to him, his face filled with confusion as she takes his hand "you've never lied to me, never been cruel or mean to me, you took care of me and protected me… you saved my life! You may be a vampire… but you're an angel to me, you're the best friend I've ever had!"

He lets out a sigh of relief as she giggles lightly "does that mean you'll come with me?"

"Yes! But there's something I need to do first…" she asks and he simply cups her neck and smiles….

The small suburban house is quite, the dog barks as the doorbell rings and a woman makes her way down the stairs "Hush Boo!"

However as she reaches the door its already open, her son lifted into a young girl's arms with another man standing in her living room, she stands frozen as the girl puts the child down and smiles weakly "Mary…"

Suddenly the woman is across the room and clinging to the blonde "my baby, oh I've missed you so much, I've been so worried!"

Mary hugs the blonde back and sobs "I missed you to mom!"

"Sophie! I can't find my green socks, have you…" the tuff voice of a man comes down as he reaches the least step of the stairs

Everything stops and the two women separate, matching green eyes meet and he says "Peter time for bed!"

"Dad…" the kid complains

He looks to his son and orders "bed, now!"

The boy sighs and looks to his sister, rapping his arms around her middle "night Mare!"

"Goodnight Petey!" she smiles down to the boy as he mournfully walks past his father and up the stairs

Mary looks at her father as they wait for the child to leave then he says "you shouldn't be here! We told you to go!"

"I'm going… I just wanted to say goodbye!" she says with a catch in her throat

Hank looks the original over and asks "who are you?"

"This is Elijah; he's a friend… he takes care of me." Mary explains but this seems to only anger her father

"What does that mean? What do you want with my daughter?" he yells loudly

Elijah takes a step forward and says "Mary has become very dear to me, she is a loyal friend and my only wish is for her safety and happiness, you have my word…"

"We don't even know you, you could be anyone!" her mother reasons with tears in her eyes

Mary sighs deeply and answers "he saved me! The police where coming after me then this girl tried to kill me, but Elijah got rid of the cops, not to mention saved my life!"

"Cops? Oh god… Mary tell me you didn't…" he goes to ask his question but remembers the stranger

"He knows Daddy, he knows everything!" she admits

Both her parents eyes go wide and the start to rant and rave together, but Mary says "Stop! Just stop it! I came here to say goodbye, because I'm doing what you wanted, I'm leaving and never coming back! I grew up a lot in the last few months; I don't need you yelling at me!"

The room goes quiet and Sophie nods "Mary, come here, my baby!"

Mother and daughter embrace, but Hank walks over to his daughter, putting a tender hand on her face as they pull apart "Mary, my little girl! Do you trust him?"

She looks to the brown eyed vampire and answers "with my life!"

Her father seems to accept this and nods "oh princess… your all grown up! I'm sorry… for everything, I only pushed you out to keep you safe, get you away from this horrible memory. I let you down!"

"No Daddy… you loved me enough to let me go, now it's time for me to do the same!" she smiles, a tear falling down her cheek as he lifts her off her feet into his arms

Elijah stands there watching the family, the dog rubbing his head against his Mary's leg… he missed that sense of family, of home. He looks to the window and sees the clock on the wall "Mary… it time!"

She nods and pulls away from her father "we have to go…"

A weak smile comes to Hanks face as he nods, then stern as he looks to the vampire, Mary going to her mother "you'll call right? You keep in touch and don't dare worry us like that again!"

"You care about my Mary… you keep her safe, you make her happy or I'll burry you next to that scum Moore!" the blonde man threatens

"I swear, I will do whatever it takes for Mary…" the man swears, green eyes searching his for any fault, but on finding none he pulls out is hand to two shaking firmly

"Elijah…" Mary calls over and they make their way to the door, the blonde girl leaning down to kiss Boo goodbye

She looks to her parents and smiles, mascara tears on her cheeks "tell Peter I love him… goodbye mom, Daddy!" with that they leave quickly, because she's not sure she could if she looked back, knowing her little brother was watching her go from the stairs, his sad eyes begging her to stay!

When they get back to the hotel, they pack and shower before the flight. Mary stands in front of the mirror, a towel rapped firmly around her takes a steadying breath, Elijah at the side "you don't have to do this…"

She doesn't stray from her reflection as she says "yeah, I do… new start, new life, new Mary!"

She casts him a glance as she pulls her hair to the side, raising her other hand and watching as the golden locks fall away…

Half an hour later she's dressed and there at the airport, she can't help but check her reflection her long locks stripped to short curls bouncing on her shoulders "you look beautiful!"

She turns and sees her friend, who takes her hand and says "come, they're about to board!"

She nods to his brown eyes, finding the two warlocks nearing the gate and then looks back to her refection and signs "Bye Mary!"

With that she walks with Elijah, hand in hand… into her new life!


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey, hey so here's a new chapter and I've decided this will most likely become an M in a few chapters… you've been warned! So remember to review for more Mary/Elijah goodness X3 love ya's JJ x x **

The three men stand in the living room of their hotel and Jonas giving a irritated look to Elijah who sighs and walks over to the bedroom door, saying with a light knock "Mary… come on sweetheart!"

He leans casually against the doorframe; they were meant to leave half an hour ago "I'm coming, I'm coming!"

When the door opens Elijah stands to attention, eyeballing the girl. She's wearing a black and pink bikini top with a pair of denim shorts, a black, off shoulder, sheer sweater and a pair of black flip-flops, her curls pushed out of her face by a pair of sunglasses on her head "it took you that long to wear 'that'?"

She snarls at Luka and answers "shut up! Can we just get this over with so I can go the beach please?"

The Martin men shake their heads and make their way from the room, dressed in casual shorts and shirts, but Elijah in his usual smart attire as the blonde passes him with a smile, picking up her pink tweed shoulder bag from the couch as Luka follows her. Jonas looks at the original and follows his gaze; the warlock walks over to him and says "so what… some infatuation? That's why she's here?"

Almond magical brown and old coffee black eyes meet as he snaps his head to the witch "I've told you before Jonas and I won't say it again… the girl is **not **your concern!"

They stand staring at each other for a moment but a voice calls through "hey, you two coming or what?"

Elijah turns to Luka with his hands in his pockets and silver lit green eyes with a bright smile, Mary's head popped around the door and she moans "Elijah... come on, LA's waiting!"

He smiles at her and gives a nod, walking over and taking her outstretched hand, twirling her the giggling girl around with a smile and they walk from the room, the vampire not even so much as glancing back at the observant older warlock "Dad?"

Jonas seems to come back to himself and shakes his head "let's go…" he says walking out with his son

The drive is pretty quiet, other than the youngest of the four both looking out the windows and Mary saying every few seconds "oh, look at that!" Jonas rolls his eyes at her constant annoyance, with Luka ignoring her for his own viewing and Elijah casting the odd glance from the driver's seat, a small amused smile on his face. He finds her childlike curiosity refreshing and forthright… utterly human!

When they get to their destination he notices the girl cringe slightly as she steps out of the car "am I the only one who feels like they're about to be stabbed for their flip-flops?"

Elijah laughs lightly and lays an arm around her hip, her hand grasping his quickly as he says "don't worry Mary; I'll protect you… and your flip-flops!"

She smiles up at him and they begin to walk into the rundown hotel, past a group of thugs blatantly looking at them and a homeless boy sitting in the entrance, he doesn't ask for change as they walk past, just sits staring at his feet, curled into himself and Mary can't tear her eyes from him.

"So… you're Elijah?" a mousey looking man asks as they walk into the lobby

He stands firm, calm and collected as the blonde squeezes his hand in fear, scattered around the room is a guard of vampires and she can't help but feel unsettled at the way some of them are looking at her "that's correct… now I believe you have some information regarding Niklaus?"

Nervously the vampire nods "yep, but it's going to cost you!"

Elijah looks to him with a raised brown and asks "excuse me?"

"Way I see it you're an old ass vamp, you got to have some goodies worth trading… we want fifty mill!" he asks seemingly gaining ounce of courage

Elijah glances to his warlocks and laughs, releasing Mary as he takes a step forward "… you young vampires, so arrogant!"

The man looks at him and swallows hard "look man, we just think if we're crossing someone like Klaus, we should be getting something out of it!"

Before the man can blink he is lifted off the ground by a single hand on his throat, Mary watching in slight fascination "you get to live! …now where is Niklaus?"

"Last I heard he was in New England!" the feedling gasps, gripping the hand on his throat

Irritation and anger flood the original and he bites "the last you heard? You know nothing!"

"Rose and Trevor!" a red-haired vampire shouts, bleeding for her friend's life

Curiously and calmly, like he's not lifting a man off the floor with merely a hand he asks "what of them?"

The girl takes an anxious step and answers "their looking for you, something about having what you want… I can tell you where… just let him go!"

He turns his chocolate covered eyes to the girl, heedlessly dropping the vampire to his knees "well now… I let him go, speak!"

"The words been floating round for a few days… they have a meet place and everything!" she quickly answers

Suddenly the mousy man stands "Jean!"

"We have to give him something, I told you this was a stupid idea Brian!" she looks to her friend in concern as she goes over to a laptop, quickly typing something in and then grabbing a pen and paper

She walks over to Elijah and hands it to him "here… this is where they want you to meet them, two days… that's when they'll have whatever this is!"

He takes the note and nods slipping it into his jacket pocket and looks to her "very well… you are aware that Rose and Trevor…" then abruptly by Lady Gaga's 'You and I' echoing through the derelict building

He turns to the blonde girl who quickly takes out her phone and smiles apologetically while taking out her phone "sorry, sorry… I'll just…"

She answers the phone and says quickly "hey mom, look this isn't the best time… no, no, Elijah and I are just in a meeting thing… ok, no it's under the sink, behind the carpet detergent… because Peter always eats them and feeds them to Boo that's why… look I have to go, tell daddy I love him, bye!"

She hangs up and sighs, looking up she shrugs and says "sorry, she couldn't find the um… sorry, carry on… threating!"

Elijah can't help but smile for a moment, then composes himself and turns back to the redhead "as I was saying… the two have been running from Klaus and I for five hundred years for their betrayal… don't make that mistake my dear!"

She nods and the original turns, seeing the witches ready if needed but Mary is standing on her phone, looking at something thoughtfully and then looks up with a bored sigh "Now can we go?"

He merely begins to walk over, placing his hand on the curve of her back as they walk out, leaving the conning vampires behind. Mary stops when they get outside and looks down to the boy, he's younger than her, around fifteen, she kneels down and pulls a slip of paper from her bag "here… it's a good place, food, shelter, help into getting a job and a place… it gets better, trust me!"

He looks up at her and seems angry "how would you know, just some do-gooder!"

"Because I was we're you are… not even a month ago, then it got better! …go to them, they can help…" she says offering him the paper; his eyes scan her as he timidly takes the flyer

She stands and walks to the car "Hey lady! …"

She turns and gives him a firm nod of understanding, then sharing a smile with Elijah as he opens the car door for her and she climbs in… she tried, because she knows how cold the nights can be, how unforgiving days and blind people pass the small bruised ball in the corner… its hard!

As they get to the beach and lay out their towels the blonde looks to the original and says "hey, you need to go change…"

"I seem to have forgotten my swimming shorts… next time perhaps" he tries to avoid it only to be stunned into silence as she pulls a pair of blue trunks from her bag

She hands them to him with a triumphant grin and says "toilets are over there!"

With a heavy sigh he takes the trunks and heads over to the restroom. Mary begins taking off her shirt and shorts then lays on her towel, grabbing her sunblock as Luka sets up a parasol and Jonas is resting against a sun lounger, reading a book "how you get the nerve to talk to him like that I don't know…"

She smiles up at him while gathering the cream up her arms "he's just another person… just he has a few more advantages than us is all!"

Taking a seat he shakes his head "yeah but he's Elijah, one of the original family, the oldest and first vampires ever in creation… the guys over a thousand, literally. I guess not being able to die, at all and vampire powers are more than a few 'advantages' and kind of intimidating!"

She stops and looks at him for a moment, she didn't know he was the first of his kind and asks "what do you mean, can't be killed?"

"well there's these daggers and ash stuff that put them in a kind of coma, but that's really, really rare and apart from that there's no known way to kill an original… god help us when we find Klaus is all I say!" he answers while laying down to take in the sun

Mary sits for a moment and thinks on the young warlocks words, Elijah cant die, ever… she can't help but find that, comforting! When she turns at the laugh Luka gives past her she sees Elijah, his well-toned chest bare and the blue of the shorts showing his firm, muscled legs, it takes a minute for the girl to realize she's staring… and drooling slightly.

"There, happy now?" his voice smiles down at her, trying very hard not to notice how creamy and flawless her skin looks in the contrasting swim suit

She smiles brightly and answers "ecstatic! …could you do my back?"

He takes the sunblock she's waving in the air and takes a seat behind her, taking a deep breath as he pours the cream into his palms and starts to rub it against the soft, supple skin of her back. Mary closes her eyes at the feel of his skin on hers, his thumbs rubbing into her gently while his fingers massage the lotion in. Elijah notices as she leans back into his touch and bites his lips to hold back the urge to lean in place an adoring kiss against the line of her throat. She turns to look at him over her shoulder and for a long moment they sit like that, until she smiles "your eyes have a smug of green in them… you're it!"

He takes a moment to stand as she pushes him to the sanded ground and darts off into the water, giggling happily. A mischievous grin comes to his face as he runs after her and into the water, she screams as he picks her up by the middle and throws her into the water, he waits for a moment but when she doesn't surface his face falls and he runs to where she'd landed, the water reaching his forearms "Mary!"

Suddenly something emerges and jumps on his back, dragging him into the water. When he comes up he sees the blonde laughing and she smiles "tenth grade national swimming championship, second place silver certificate!"

She stands laughing at him and giggles "your face!" he shakes his head and smiles, only to sends a large splash over her….

Back at the beach the two martin men watch as the powerful, feared and respected original has a splash fight with a human girl, both stuck in a state of shock!

That night after dinner they return to the hotel and Mary sighs as she sits on her bed, flicking through the channels, bored, she stands and walks out, finding herself leaning against Elijah's doorframe with a slight pout "how long will you be gone for?"

He turns to her, his suitcase on the bed, stretching out a hand that she just ignores and looks to her hand against the frame instead. Elijah licks his lip at her sullen expression, she's been in sulk mode since he told her he was leaving to meet with the vampire fugitives and she would remain with the Martins "Mary please stop this, we've had such a good day…"

Her eyes rise to meet his and find he's barely an inch from her "I'm sorry I just …I don't want you to go… I'll miss you…" she says coyly

His hand comes to stoke through her blonde locks and then rests on her shoulder "I promise Mary, I won't take more than a few days…"

He's then knocked back as she throws herself into his chest and squeezes tightly, if he were human he'd fear injury "just make sure you come back to me!"

He smiles and raps his arms around the small girl "I promise Mary… I won't leave you."

They stay like that for a long while, the original pacing a loving kiss on the top of her head that buried into his chest; they're content to stay like this, rapped in each other, the blonde taking in his scent and the vampire resting his head comfortably against her soft curls… but he has to leave, has to meet Rose and Trevor and discover the existence of Elena Gilbert, the doppelganger… his key to Klaus… the only question is this, with they survive it?


	8. Chapter 8

**Hey hey, ok so this chapter is kind of short but I'm just easing it into the episode's so let me know what you think! Thanks guys love ya's as always X3 REVIEW FOR MORE!**

The blonde sits in the living room of the hotel with a heavy sigh as Luka walks in and turns off the TV "hay I was watching that!"

He gives her a smile and says "well now you're not… come on, we going to head out for lunch then shopping, maybe a movie… the beach… come on Mary you can't mope around here looking at the phone!"

She stands and says with a slight pout "actually I can… so if you don't mind!"

As she goes to turn the TV back on, he blocks her way several times and she groans in annoyance "Elijah put you up to this!"

"No actually I just think you need to get out… beside who else am I supposed to hang out with?" he answers her with a slight shrug

She looks to him for a moment and sighs, raising her arms in defeat "Fine… I'll go change!"

He watches with a smug grin as she retreats into her room. Elijah left last night and sees been sulking around the hotel suite since then and Jonas has just been sitting around reading and researching the next lead on Klaus, so yeah Luka is frankly kind of bored!

They link arms while walking down Hollywood Boulevard, Mary demanding pictures of her with pretty much everything… as she now sends a picture to her family of her with Elvis Presley, Marline Monroe and Walt Disney's stars Luka looks at her and smiles "so what movie do you want to see?"

She puts her phone away and looks over the film listing in his hand "Um… that one!"

He nods and smiles to himself "thank god… I thought you'd pick a chick flick or something."

She laughs with a shake of her head "I like chick flicks and I was tempted, but I decided to take pity on you"

"How very kind… what wrong?" he nods with a laugh, but then sees her pensive expression

They stop walking and she says "listen Luka, this… this isn't a date right?"

"What? No, no… this is two friends hanging out!" he quickly rights her mind

She sighs and lets out a relived sigh and with hand on her chest "good, I don't mean that that would be a bad thing, it's just… well I'm not really in the dating zone!"

He just laughs and holds his hand up in the air "no offence taken! Besides, you're not my type… blonde catholic girl and a brown eyed warlock? Just imagine the children!"

They laugh and walk on to the movies, two friends…

Elijah drives down the quite country road and gives a deep sigh… he hasn't been so close to his home for a long time and it's unnerving to be so, but he does this because these people who fear him, who have ran from him for half a millennia have called on him… have claimed to have something he desires, he hopes their right!

Just then the radio sings out to him and he breaks free a true smile. Images of Mary flooding his mind as he recalls their first meeting, she's been nervous and unsure, but now she was comfortable and assured, she trusted him, cared for him… his little Mary, so he begins to sing, the song echoing their encounter, the same one they had sang together… he can't help but think to how curious it is that that song would come to them, find them just as they found each other… he thinks to what Marty had said, about fate guiding them and wonders maybe there could be more out there… after all he is a thousand year old vampire singing like an idiot down a country road with s ridiculous grin on his face.

Mary smiles as her and Luka browse through the department store "I'm not buying that…"

"Why, what's wrong with it?" she says trying to hide her giggles

He laughs and looks down at herself, finding himself in a bright pink shirt with a yellow stripe down one side "please tell me you're joking!"

"Hey that pleated thing you made me ware was way worse than that!" she defends but he shakes his head, heading back into the changing room

Mary's smile falls slightly as she looks to her phone, the back screen is of her on Elijah's back, both smiling and soaked from the day on the beach… she worry's for him and she knows she's been a pain since he left but she can't help it, she feels his absence… and she misses her friend!

Elijah is more than surprised to see the face of Tatia (spelling?), since Katarina's betrayal he'd convinced himself that he never would again… he remembers that this girl is not his lost love, but his key to Niklaus, word will surly break out and he will come…

After dispatching the traitorous Trevor he learns that the human has assistance, Rosemary seemingly unaware of the unwanted guests, he makes for a fight, finding there are vampires after the girl… protector's maybe? He informs them that he cannot be beaten, foolish broods!

When the doppelganger appears at the top of the stairs he can see a hint of fear, hope and mischief in her eyes, He sees this for the fake it is and demands an answer; however he doesn't anticipate such weaponry. The ambush is swift and harsh, his own hand made weapon thrust into his chest, pinning him to the door…

He looks past his attacker and sees the chocolate sweet eyes of his unrequited love, his eyes falling closed as a flash covers his vision… silver lit pale green orbs obscuring the honey kissed brown, both drowning each other out, then temporary death embraces him, the color dies…

When they walk back into the hotel holding shopping bags with a small laugh on their lips they make their way into the living room, finding Jonas sitting by one of the lamps his laptop "I see you two had a good time!"

The younger man smiles and nods "yeah we did, it was fun… I'm just going to but these away!"

She smiles as Luka goes to his room and she turns to go to her own only to be halted by Jonas calling her name. She turns back with a sweet smile as the warlock takes a step over to her, his expression sphinxlike "Listen Mary, I don't mean to be cruel but this needs saying… I don't want you around my son!"

She looks at him dumbfounded "what? Jonas I don't…"

"Elijah has this infatuation with you and Luka is a young impressionable kid, but I don't like you… Elijah wouldn't tell me **why** you were here so I did some digging, turns out you have some dirt on those little hands, blood to… my point is that your just a passing fancy to Elijah, vampire's don't feel and they don't care about anyone, you should do yourself a favor and leave!" he says severely to the young girl

She looks up at him with moist glassy eyes and swallows hard "you don't understand…"

"I don't need to! You are just some human that found herself hitting the jackpot with a vampire, the money, the clothes, compelling away murders… your bad news and I don't want you around my son… the sooner Elijah gets bored of you the better for everyone!" the sharp echo of her hand connecting with his cheek bounces off the walls

He looks at her vacantly as her angry gaze looks up at him "you don't know anything about me, what I've done or Elijah… your just a witch with an attitude whose angry at the world, well I'm not your punching bag!"

She goes to turn but he grabs her arm callously, turning her back to him "you need to remember that I'm a warlock, Elijah's a vampire and you… you're a human! Your only place in this world is lunch and your only place in the other is jail, so watch your step!"

She rips her arm from his grip and runs to her room, slighting down the back of the door as it slams with a slight tremor, tears falling down her face as she takes in Jonas's words… she shakes her head and sobs "no, it's not true…"

She runs to her phone and dial's, only to get Elijah's voice mail, she keeps trying but to no avail and throws the cell onto the bed in anger and frustration. Mary collapses onto the bed with a heavy sigh, head in hands, but then she looks up… seeing her refection in the dresser, her curls short for the first time in her life, her cheeks flushed and tear stained and her necklace hanging soundly against her throat her eyes meet that of her refection and she says, caressing the small locket "no… you need to watch yours Jonas!"

Elijah wakes to find himself impaled and quickly removes the overly large stake, looking down at his shirt he sighs, he liked this suit! His head is spinning as he walks out of the house, there was a human doppelganger… this changed everything, but then just before he reaches his car he pulls out his phone, seeing he has eight missed calls from his human he quickly stops in the dark empty path and calls her "Mary? I'm sorry I missed your calls, what's happed? Are you alright?"

He hears a sob on the other end of the line then her dry, angry, hurt and cracked voice "no… it's Jonas!"


	9. Chapter 9

Elijah stands by the airport gate patiently last night during his conversation with Mary he'd told her he was going to book them a flight first thing, he needed his witches and he also needed a word with Jonas!

When he sees the people start to come through the gate he scans the crowd he smiles when he sees a mop of gold racing for him, she throws her arms around his neck and he can't help but clutch her middle and swing her around, when her feet hit the floor the hug tightly, then Luka and his father walk over, the younger man smiling and giving a small nod "Elijah…"

He nods back but as Jonas offers his hand he gives a stern expression, his eyes flared with rage, but after a moment takes his hand, he then turns to Mary, with his hand on the small of her back and leads them out, Mary sending a triumphant smile to the older witch as she nuzzles into the vampire…

When they get to their new apartment Mary and Luka run to pick and set up their rooms, Elijah turns to Jonas as they are left alone and the witch finds himself pinned to the wall, Elijah's hand around his throat "I'm very disappointed in you Jonas, upsetting a young girl like you did was uncalled for and frankly quite cruel…"

His calm demeanor seems to break as he leans into the warlock and says angrily "if you ever speak to her like that again I will drain you dry, you are replicable Jonas, I heard your cry and I have aided you… now you will keep your opinions to yourself is this understood?"

He nods against the vampires vice like grip, who then drops him promptly to the floor and looks over to the hall entry way "Mary… have you found your room?"

She smiles nervously and nods "yeah, I just forgot my backpack" she smiles and grabs the bag from near the door

"Would you like to rent a film once you've finished packing?" the original asks her with a small smile

She smiles up at him and nods "yeah, I'd like that, just give me an hour!"

"I'll get the film while you unpack…" with one last smile he walks out of the apartment

Jonas glares to the girl who just smiles over to him and says "I'd put some ice on that!" and skips back into her room

When Elijah gets back he has an array of junk food and some DVD's he walks into Mary's room and smiles with a slight chuckle, she's wearing piglet pajamas, she just looks at him and rolls her eyes "oh shut up and put the movie in!"

He pulls off his jacket and shoes and they lay on the bed, watching the movie and devouring the mountain of snacks she looks up at his from her place on the pillows "what does human food taste like to you? Compared to blood and stuff?"

"The same as it does to you… but to a vampire nothing compares to blood, the taste if euphoric!" he answers honestly, not seeing the need to lie

She nods lightly and says "so better than cookie dough ice cream huh? Wow, must be good! …is it all alike, the blood or what?"

He pops a piece of popcorn in his mouth as he humors her "blood is essentially the most delicious thing on the planet, but to each person is their own brand… a smoker for instants can leave a slightly bitter aftertaste, like coffee, someone on drugs can leave you feeling quite nostalgic and slightly buzzed, fear and anger, things that create adrenaline taste the sweetest … I once drank blood that tasted utterly of strawberries! …each person is their own glass of wine, none the same, but each delicious!"

She nods and bites her lip thinking about her next question "does it hurt, being bitten?"

It's the indelicateness in her voice that makes him look down into those pale green eyes, lighting up slightly "it can, it can be the most excruciating pain, or it can be done with care, consideration, of course it hurts either way, but to take the care to do it right and it can be very pleasurable… why do you ask?"

She shifts her eyes nervously and shrugs "I'm just curious… I've never seen you, you know…feed or anything, I mean a girl gets kind of curious is all! Hey you haven't told me why we rushed out here yet!"

His expression becomes indifferent and he says "the curse my brother has been trying to break needs a human sacrifice… a doppelganger, basically a physical copy of a girl we knew as humans. We believed that it was impossible as Tatia, the originals, bloodline ended with the first doppelganger Katarina, when she escaped Niklaus and I, turning herself into a vampire, it seems we were misled as there is now another… Elena!"

She nods lightly and asks "so what about here?"

"Niklaus will come for her I have no doubt and when he does I will kill him… it also seems that Katarina is here, trapped in a tomb, I would also take pleasure in her demise!" he answers as she leans over him of her can of soda

She sits up at tilts her head "why? Not the Klaus, that I get, but why this Katarina… you seem grudge like!"

He takes a deep breath and answers "she is a very manipulative woman… I allowed myself to care for her, I even found a way for her to survive the sacrifice, but she ran, she betrayed us all… she was not what I'd been led to believe!"

Mary's eyes are filled with sorrow and she leans forward, rapping her arms around him, can in hand and says "I'm sorry she hurt you… but look on the bright side…"

They pull apart and she smiles brightly at him "you'll always have me!"

He can't fight his smile at that and searches her face "yes… my little pickpocket!"

She hits him on the arm lightly and then lies back down to watch the movie, he's lost so much, but he smiles down at her, his Mary!

The next day Luka starts getting ready for his first day of school, instructed by Elijah to make contact with Elena's witch, her blind friendship to him may come in useful. Neither Elijah nor Mary have spoken to Jonas since yesterday and she couldn't help but smile at what she'd seen, the anger in the originals voice as he's threatened the witch… _doesn't care about me huh?_

Mary smiles as she walks into the living room, buttoning the top of her pink heart cardigan over her white vest, wearing jeans, white ballet shoes and headband she gives off a nervous sigh as she runs her hand through her hair "you look lovely sweetheart…"

She turns to Elijah and says "thanks, this is kind of weird, new school I mean…"

"You'll be just fine, besides it's just a few weeks." He says reassuringly

She smiles up at him and beams "I know, Daddy seemed happy about you putting me back in school, getting my diploma!"

"I'm glad, now you and Luka should get going… don't want to be late on your first day!" he says handing her, her backpack as Luka comes in

She stands on her tiptoes and kisses the vampire on the cheek "thanks Elijah… oh and Daddy asked if you'd call him!"

She then smiles back as her and Luka make their way out of the apartment, Elijah turning to Jonas and says "I'm going out… I'm not sure when I'll be back so I want you to pick Mary and Luka up from school… make sure to play nice, no need to make anyone uncomfortable!"

When the young witch and blonde get to the school she asks "so what you can just sense a witch?"

"Yeah, something like that… I think it's some sort of connection with the magic!" he explains and then straightens

She watches as his gaze goes to a couple and says "look like we found her!"

With that they make their way over to the pair asking directions to the office and Luka introduces them "I'm Luka and this is my cousin Mary…"

The blonde smiles with a slight giggle, watching the warlock focuses on the witch, both oblivious to the other boy's blatant jealousy that quickly moves them away and into the office. Mary looks to Jeremy with a sympathetic glance.

After the boy leaves Mary gives a pointed look to the warlock "so… that was as discreet as the crucifixion!"

He just laughs and looks over to the reception desk, getting their papers

Meanwhile Elijah discreetly follows Damon and Rose to a small vampire-friendly café, he sits in the car for a moment and pulls out his phone "Hello…"

"Hello Mr. Covina, its Elijah…" he says stepping out of the car

He walks casually as Mary's father speaks "oh hello, Mary gave you my message good… I just, look this is difficult for me but I wanted to thank you for getting Mary to finish up school, for helping her back on her feet!"

The vampire smiles into the phone and says "it's no trouble Mr. Covina… Mary's a fine young woman; she just needed a helping hand"

"I know, she's always been a good girl but after… well I guess I got scared, panicked… I didn't want her involved, I should have helped her… but I suppose god had other plans, he gave her to you and I just wanted to thank you… for taking care of my little girl!" Hank confesses

Elijah stands and pulls out his wallet "Mary says the same thing… look Mr. Covina I'm afraid I have to go, but listen what happened wasn't your fault, you raised a sweet, good-natured girl who grew into a strong young woman… you should be very proud!"

"…I am, thank you again Elijah, take care!" and with that he hangs up and pockets the phone, a warm feeling coming over him, it's been a long time since he's had the approval of a girl's father…

He bends down to the street musician, taking a few of his coins in exchange for a twenty dollar bill, he stands playing with them for a moment while listening to the conversation inside the café, he thinks back to Damon Salvatore staking him and is slightly upset about that… so he effortlessly throws the coins threw the window, watching the panic for a moment before disappearing

Back in Mystic Falls Jeremy sees the blonde from earlier walking down the street and jogs over "Hey, Mary right?"

She looks up at him and nods "Hey, yeah and your Jeremy! Where are you headed?"

"The mystic grill, you?" he answers, fixing his bag strap

She smiles up and him and says "cool me to; I'm meeting Luka and his dad Jonas!"

He gives her a confused look and says "you don't seem too happy about that!"

"No, it's just… well Jonas and I don't really get along. On account of him hating me" She answers with a slight shrug

They walk together and he asks "why? Did you set him on fire or something?"

She laughs lightly and shakes her head "I wish! No, he just assumes he knows me and actually doesn't… he doesn't like having me around, especially around Luka!"

"Hey it might not be as bad as you think… could just be he's a hostile guy?" the boy offers with a slight smile

She shakes her head and says "could be… except for when he said 'your bad news and I don't want you around my son!"

He winces slightly, opening the door to the grill for her "ouch, well the guy sounds like a dick!"

They laugh lightly and Bonnie walks over "Hey!"

The blonde looks past them and smiles "well I should… it was nice talking to you Jeremy, later guys."

As she takes a seat beside Luka Jonas stares at her "what was that about?"

"Nothing, just making friend's… any progress with the witch?" she asks happily, ignoring Jonas

Luka nods lightly and smiles "yeah, I think so!"

After a short while Mary picks up her plate of chilly-fries but Luka grabs her arm gently "what are you doing?"

"We're not going to make any progress sitting here, come on…" she smiles not even acknowledging Jonas as she walks over to the pool table Luka on her heals

The four of them seem to be having a good time, Luka is taking to Bonnie and when Jeremy sees he takes his shot and goes to leave "Hey mister… where are you going?"

He turns back and smiles at Mary "I'm kind of tired; think I'll just go home!"

"Well do you want to walk me? I kind of want to head back myself" she offers with a small smile

He looks to Bonnie and Luka then to the blonde "Sure, why not?" she picks up her bag and they head out, Jeremy sending a sad smile over to the pair

As they walks he can't help but ask "so why are you living with your uncle?"

She shrugs and says "some stuff happened back home, my parents wanted me to have a fresh start without uprooting my little brother so… here I am! I um…I heard about your parents and stuff at school I'm sorry"

He shrugs lightly "news like that, town like this… it sucked at first, I didn't really know how to handle it, went off the rails a bit but I have my aunt Jenna and my sister Elena… they beat me back into shape!"

She smiles up at him with a slight nod, playing with her necklace "I was like that when my grandpa died, I was only thirteen, but we we're real close… after he passed I started to question my faith in god, in people, I even locked myself in the attic for two days… then my little brother came to the door and said 'grandpas will me mad when you get to heaven if you don't come out and eat your veg!' and I realized he was right!"

They laugh lightly and he says "so you're a god type?"

"We're not all crazy, yes I believe in god and go to church every Sunday, doesn't mean I stand on corners with signs saying 'die sinners!' or 'the end is nigh'!" she says with a smile as they stop outside an apartment building

"So this is home?" he looks up at it and smiles

She just shrugs and answers "so it seems… listen Jeremy, I saw the way you were looking at Bonnie and well… if it's meant to be, it will be!"

He smiles down at her and says "yeah I guess, then again chasing after my sister's best friend… kind of pathetic right?"

"No, because if you are then so am I… I guess you could say I have feeling for someone I shouldn't, he's a good man, but he's older and my best friend… he saved my life then got me a new one!" she confesses with a tender smile

Jeremy nods and says "well he sounds like a good guy… lets you hope it's meant to be, for both of us! Night Mary, see you at school!"

She waves him off as he walks away and then lets herself into the apartment "yeah Jeremy… let's hope!"

Elijah and Jonas find Slater easily enough and quickly compel him into telling Rose what the original wants him to, when he's done Elijah pulls out a stake, ordering him to commit suicide, saying its necessary, but when Jonas asks if it was he gives a pointed look… this was the reason he had the warlock accompany him, he wanted him to witness how easily death came to the original, wanted him to know that he could very well be next… so therefor yes, it was necessary!

When they get back to the apartment its past midnight and Elijah checks in on Mary, finding her sleeping comfortably on her belly. He walks in and pushes her hair out of her peaceful angelic face, feeling the draft of the window she always had open, she liked the cool breeze on her skin, said she overheated during the night, so he gently pulled the quilt over her shoulders.

He kneels down and his finger brushes against her fair, rosebud cheek and smiles "sweet dreams Mary…" he leans in and places a tender kiss on the crown of her head then quietly leaves the room, not seeing the sleeping girl cuddle closer into the blanket or the twitch of a smile on her lips


	10. Chapter 10

Luka and Mary get out of the car and he quickly runs over to Bonnie, Mary gives a small shake of her head and pulls out her phone, looking at the text she'd just gotten with a frowned brow and a shake of her head, she quickly starts dialing and throws her bag over her shoulder as someone answers and she says "Hi, this is Mary Covina… I need to speak with the principal!"

"Um… yes, just a moment Miss Covina…" she makes her way to the school entrance as she waits

When she sees Jeremy she waves lightly, seeing she's on the phone he waves back and carry's on over to Bonnie and Luka "Miss Covina, hello it's been a long time…"

"Hey Mr. Brown look I just got a text from Peter and I have to say I'm kind of worried!" she says crossing her arms sternly

She hears the old man clear his throat "what about?"

"He told me a few months ago about this boy he's been having trouble with, Jake McGuire, and I just got a text asking me to come home and sort the kid out! My brother is being bullied!" she states angrily

A deep sigh comes from Mr. Brown "I see… well I appreciate you bringing this to my attention, I will have this all sorted out!"

She nods lightly and says "I hope so Mr. Brown, because if it's not then I'll be on the first slight out and I'll sort it myself! I'm not having my brother victimized by some bratty thug… and I'll have to bring it to my parents and as you know, my mother is head of the PTA and my father is a close friend of the Mayor… I wouldn't want bullying in schools to become a town epidemic!"

She swiftly hangs up and looks up to see Luka standing next to her "what was that about?"

"Family stuff… should be sorted now!" she smiles up at him as they walk into school, ready for class

At lunch Mary is in the bathroom and as she washes her hands Bonnie comes out of a stall and the blonde smiles "hey Bonnie!"

"Oh, hi Mary… how's your second day?" she asks washing her hands

Mary smiles and shrugs "alright, last night was fun!"

"Yeah it was… we should do it again sometime!" the witch smiles as they dry their hands

Mary bites her lip before saying "you and Luka looked cozy this morning and last night… Jeremy didn't seem too happy!"

Bonnie gives her a look, to which she shrugs "I don't mean to pry… it's just he obviously like you, I think maybe you like him to…"

Bonnie looks around and says "he's Elena brother, I've watched him grow up and it's just… I think it… it just wouldn't work!"

Mary tilts her head as she says "how do you know, are you physic? …you never know until you try, and you know what they say 'the lord works in mysterious ways!'"

She smiles to the witch as she walks off in an opposite direction for class… she doesn't mean to meddle, she just likes Jeremy, he's a nice guy and maybe she could help him!

Meanwhile Elijah sits in the apartment as Jonas gets his stolen things from Elena's for the spell as she's vanished this morning, the original wanting to know where his doppelganger had got to…

He'd heard from Mary that she was missing from school and after checking her home and the Salvatore's, finding no trace of the girl decided to call on the warlock for assistance "how long will this take?"

Jonas takes a seat and says "just a few minutes, come have a seat!"

As they perform the spell, his bloodied hand on the doppelganger's picture, having some form of astral projection and finding the missing girl in the dead vampire's apartment. He stands to go to his room and put his shoes on… needing to save the stupid child from her suicide mission!

Luka and Mary walk into the apartment from school and the girl sighs as father and son talk, Elijah walks in and asks her "Mary, what's the matter?"

"My brother's getting picked on back home and my math teacher is the devil! …have you seen all the homework she's given me? The woman is evil!" she complains pulling the work from her bag and sighs

The vampire walks over and smiles "well in a few weeks you won't need to worry about her because you'll be out of there… I have to go out, keep our doppelganger from becoming a corpse!"

He leans down and kisses the top of Mary's head then leaves, her and Luka getting on with their homework while he retrieves Elena. About an hour later the blonde looks up to see her warlock friend looking slightly distressed "Luka?"

His father looks over and asks "what's wrong?"

"Nothing." The boy smiles weakly, rubbing his neck

Mary can't help but give him a concerned look but carry's on with her homework none the less. Just a short few minutes later Luka lets out a sharp gasp and stumbles off his seat, his friend and father running to aid him. He says how Bonnie is channeling him as he collapses to the floor, his nose bleeding and a wide eyed worried Mary shouts "Jonas do something!"

With a simple touch to the boys crown his eyes snap open and he seems perfectly fine, the blonde lets out a relieved sigh and hugs the boy gently as she mutters "now can someone tell me what just happened?"

When Elijah gets home from killing the vampires after Elena he sees Jonas and informs him about what happened at Slater's he turns as Mary walks into the room, biting at her nails in a nervous and frustrated manner "did he tell you, what that bitch Bennet did to Luka?"

He looks at her angered face and then to Jonas who signs "she channeled him for a spell, it was intense, but I managed to break the connection before any damage could be done!"

He looks back to Mary, her silver lit green orbs sparkling with a hint of deep green, an expression he's never seen before "I want her dead Elijah, I want her in the ground, I was to slit that dirty little witch's tongue out and feed it to her!"

He grips the girl's shoulders, she's shaking in anger and he says "now Mary, I'm sure she has a valid reason for her actions, besides Luka is fine…"

"You didn't see him… he looked so, I thought…" she takes a deep breath falls into his chest, shouting in frustration

He lays his chin on her head and says in his soothing tone "come Mary, I'm sure you must be tired…"

She nods and pulls back from him, running a hand through her hair as she storms off to her bedroom. Elijah looks to Jonas and takes a seat, slipping of his shoes and asking "would you be good enough to put the kettle on?"

The next day Elijah says the two can stay home from school considering Luka's near death experience last night. The two spend the morning eating cereal from the box and watching cartoons and talking, when they finally decide to get dressed Mary hears her phone ringing and runs to get it from her room "Hello?"

"Mary, how are you baby?" her mother's voice asks through the phone

She smiles and takes a seat on her bed "I'm good mom, I miss you guys… what's up?"

Her mother gives a deep sigh and answers "your brother got into a fight at school today… poor thing, but the other boy has been suspended and I've called his parents to arrange a meeting, but that's not why I'm calling… the Mayor is making plans to renovate some of the older parts of town, including the cemetery on baker street!"

Panic goes through Mary and she stands "what? Isn't that where daddy buried Moore?"

"Yes, so sweetie you see my concern… I just thought you should know, don't come home! I love you honey!" she can hear the her mother sob and she hangs up

Mary bites her lip lightly and quickly slips on her shoes and runs into the living room "Luka…" but she stops at seeing Bonnie standing there

"Hi Mary…" the witch gives a sheepish smile

Anger floods the blonde as she crosses her arms and snaps "you have some nerve!"

"Mary don't, cool down, it's alright… I've forgiven her!" Luka tries to keep the peace

With a bitter laugh Mary says "Well I haven't! Do you have any idea what happened here last night, huh, do you?"

"Look Mary I've said I'm sorry, I wouldn't have done it if it wasn't important!" Bonnie tries in vain to reason

She shakes her head and takes a step closer to the witch "I don't care how sorry you are… Do you have any idea what that was like, watching him panting and shaking, his nose bleeding and then passing out on the floor… he could have died, because of you!"

The witch's eyes fall downcast with guilt but Mary keeps her angry gaze "Luka may have forgiven you, but not me… he trusted you and you abused that trust! You and me Bonnie, we're not friends anymore!"

"Mary…" Luka tries to defend his friend but the blonde just walks to the door, grabbing her keys from the bowl and making a swift exit

"She'll come round…" the warlock offers

Bonnie shakes her head and sighs "no… she has every right to be angry and she's right, I could have killed you, I could have killed us both! I'm sorry…"

He nods sympathetically and says "Yeah, I know…"

Mary climbs into the Luka's car and sits for a moment, she then speed dials and brings the phone to her ear "hey, I need to see you…"

"I'm at the Lockwood's!" Elijah's collected voice says and she hangs up, speeding off to her vampire

When she reaches the mansion a well-dressed woman answers and she smiles brightly "hello, I'm looking for Elijah…"

Just then he comes to the door with his best smile and says "Mary, there you are! Carol this is Mary Covina my apprentice, Mary this is Carol Lockwood!"

Mrs. Lockwood opens the door to let the girl in as she says "it's nice to meet you Mrs. Lockwood; you have a beautiful home btw…"

She gives her a slightly confused look at the abbreviation as a blonde woman walks into the parlor "Ah, Jenna, this is Mary my apprentice, Mary this is Jenna Somers…"

She takes Jenna's hand and smiles "Hi, Jenna… you don't happen to have a nephew called Jeremy do you?"

She smiles slightly and nods "um, yeah, actually I do, do you know him?"

"Yeah, we met a few days ago at school, he's a nice guy…, Elijah could I talk to you for a quick sec?" she asks with an innocent smile

"Of course, Ladies if you'll excuse us for a moment…" the two women smile after him as he guides the blond girl into the sitting room and shuts the door

He turns to her with a concerned expression and questions "Mary, what's the matter?"

She starts pacing slight as she says in hushed tones "well where to start… the girl that nearly killed Luka last night is in our apartment, Jonas keeps giving me evils, I hate catch up work, the mayor back home is about to dig up the rapist I killed for a freaking flower bed, my brother is getting into fights, my dad barely say's two words to me these days and I'm pretty sure I'm falling in love a thousand year old vampire!"

She doesn't seem to realize her last confession as she falls into a seat; hear head in her hands as she says "what do I do Elijah… if they find that body… maybe god is punishing me!"

It takes the original a moment to register the full declaration, but at the site of the distressed blonde he rushes to her side, getting on one knee as he lifts her head gently "oh, Mary… don't worry, everything will work out, god isn't punishing you… that's why he gave you me, to make all this dreadful business go away!"

Her glittering green eyes meet his green specked chocolate orbs and she lets out a reassured sigh and gently raps her arms around his neck "Oh, Elijah, what would I do without you…"

He holds the girl to him and breaths her in, the scent of orange chocolate, coconut lotion and something utterly Mary "well I'm here… always…" he says while letting her words sink into his hardened heart… _and I'm pretty sure I'm falling in love a thousand year old vampire!_

Mary says goodbye to the humans and Elijah, apologizing for the interruption, but half way to the car, fiddling with the keys her memory hits her, eyes going wide as she mutter "oh no…"

A short while later she sits in the town square on a random bench, kicking herself in the head as she hears her name called, she turns to find the youngest Gilbert who takes a seat beside her "hey you look like you killed your neighbor's cat… what's up?"

She lets out a small laugh and then sighs "nothing, just the end of my life… I think I just committed relationship suicide!"

He gives her a pointed looks and quickly gets comfortable on the wooden seat "ok, I'm listening…"

"You remember that guy I told you about, the older one that I'm into? …well he and I were talking and I was ranting and well… I might have accidently told him I'm in love with him, god I'm such an idiot!" she weeps, hear head falling into her hands

Jeremy winces slightly and says "Ouch… well, what did he say?"

She lifts her head and looks out into the distance "the conversation kind of shifted to some stuff from back home… I didn't realize what I'd said until I got outside, but… well he seemed ok, he said he'd take care of everything, that I'd always have him…"

"Maybe he didn't hear you?" Jeremy suggests with a shrug

She looks at him with uncertainty biting her lip as she asks "you think? …maybe…"

"Look Mary, if this guy did hear you and even if he didn't… he seems like he really cares about you, it's like you said you me, if it's meant to be… right?" he smiles to her

She gives a heavy breath and nods "yeah, yeah, your right! Come on, I'll give you a ride home!"

They stand and head off, not seeing as Luka and Bonnie climb the fire escape of the old Gilbert building, the four having made new friends, one pair growing from their unrequited love and the other guilt ridden and about to be con!

Later that night Mary is sitting on the sofa, Jonas is doing some work on his laptop as Elijah walks in he smiles over to Mary and says "Jonas I need you and Luka to lift a Vampire entrapment spell, it would seem the younger Salvatore is trapped in the church tomb with Katarina… and as part of my agreement with Miss Elena he is to be freed!"

Jonas nods and says "it's good that you want this doing tonight… the full moon will make it less stained on our magic, we'll start when Luka gets in… he's retrieving the moonstone from Bonnie!"

The vampire nods and leans over the back of the sofa and whispers into the blondes ear "Mary… may I have a word?"

Her heart speed races to Alaska as she swallows hard, looking up at him with a weak smile and a nervous nod "yeah… sure"

She stands and takes a deep breath following him into the kitchen, the original shutting the door and then turning to the girl, whose eyes are glued to the floor "Mary… I've made some calls and I've had the body destroyed, without the community suffering from unruly weeds … you have no need to worry further."

Her head shoots up and she asks "that's what you… I mean that's amazing! Thank you Elijah… I'll go call mom!"

She runs over and hugs him, placing a gentle kiss on his cheek and skips over to her room, passing the two warlocks as they begin the ritual. He then leaves to greet Stefan and make sure that bitch stays where she is!

After Elijah cements his deal with Elena by releasing Stefan he returns home taking off his jacket and hanging it up he hears a noise in the kitchen, only to see Mary come out in her robe with a glass of soda. She smiles to him as he rolls up his sleeves "hey, how'd the whole prison tomb thing go?"

He smiles back at her and gives his lips a lick, his gaze falling to her bare legs then to her green orbs "it went well… everything is in place, I expect my brother will be here in less time than expected!"

She nods and smiles "awesome, well I'm going to hit the hay. Night Elijah…"

As she turns to go to bed he takes a step forward "Mary…"

She turns to him but before she gets all the way round his lips crash onto hers, his hand rounding her waist and cupping the back of her head, the moment all these things register she instinctively pulls the vampire closer to her, the soda smashing the floor and forgotten in the heat of their passion. Elijah tilts her head up and licks at her bottom lip, begging for entrance she eagerly grants, their tongues caressing and hands slinging as they deepen the kiss. After the realization that she needs oxygen kicks in they pull apart, panting lightly as he looks down at her, pushing a strand out of her face as he says with black blown eyes "oh… my Mary…"

She can't fight her mischievous smirk as she stands on her tiptoes, her lips a breath away from his, the icy liquid pooling at his feet as their eyes meet "yours, forever!" and he pulls her forward into another kiss, neither caring if their caught, for the coppery scent from the broken glass against bare feet or the horizon seeping in from the window; the brink of a new day, the sun kissing the moon goodbye while the human and vampire kiss hello…


	11. Chapter 11

Mary wakes with a long, soothing stretch, the morning sun washing over her face as a smirk splits it in half, memory of a few hours before flood through her mind and she can't help but think of them as wanton dreams… that is until she goes to stand and a sharp pain races through her, she looks down and has never been so happy to have a bandaged foot in her life!

She walks, limps, to the kitchen and gleefully hops onto the counter, taking the cooking jar between her legs and hums slightly, Jonas sitting at the table with the paper and a cup of coffee "you seem happy this morning!"

"And why shouldn't I be? Life is good and god is gracious!" she smiles with half a cookie in her mouth as Luka walks in and goes for the cereal

The blonde smiles to him and he takes a seat at the table "that looks like such a healthy breakfast Mary…"

She just pulls a tongue to the warlock and pops another chipped treat into her mouth, munching happily with a slight swing in her legs, her friend looks to the bandaged foot with a frown "what happened to you?"

She swallows and goes to answer but a voice walking into the kitchen retorts instead "stepped on some glass she dropped, my fault!"

The young girls face splits into a large smile as the original walks into the room, wearing a pair of green pajama pants and a white t-shirt, his usually perfectly fluffed hair messed and in disarray. He smiles over to Mary while making his way to her and laying a long tender kiss against her lips, the eyes of both witches widening as he pulls away and smiles "good morning Mary…"

"Morning…" she beams as he dips into the jar between her legs, taking a cookie, his hand resting on her leg, thumb tracing small circles against her fair skin

Then takes a bite from the cookie, walking out of the room with ease… the blonde watches him do then notices the stares of father and son and asks with a shrug "what?"

Later as her and Luka are walking around the school he keeps looking at her and she sighs "will you stop?"

"I'm sorry it's just… wow! When did this even happen?" he asks as she opens her locker

A small smile comes to her face and she answers "nosey much?"

The bell rings and he shakes his head "whatever… I'll catch you later!"

She locks up her locker and turns, pulling an apple from her bag and heading outside, she sees all the people working and takes a seat on the bench, watching them run around with a light smile on her face

"Hey Mary!" she looks to her side and sees her friend take a seat on the table of the bench

She smiles up at him and says "hey Jeremy…"

He raises an eyebrow and laughs lightly "you seem… overly happy!"

She shrugs and then bites her lip, but looking to his inquisitive expression she takes a seat on the table beside him "he kissed me!"

"Your mystery guy? ...well damn, good for you!" he smiles, bumping her shoulder lightly

She nods lightly and beams "I know… I didn't even expect it! I got up for a glass of soda and then he just kisses me"

"I'm happy for you… looks like it was meant to be after all!" he smiles, taking her apple and having a bite

Suddenly a car pulls up in the parking lot and Mary looks over in surprise then to Jeremy, asking as she backs to the car "you want to meet him?"

They smile and she turns, seeing Elijah step out of the car and lean against the hood. Mary jogs over and gently raps her arms around his neck, the two sharing a deep, tender kiss, they pull away just as Jeremy joins them "What are you doing here?"

"we'll I thought we could head out to lunch?" he smiles down at into her silver lit orbs then looks past her to see the boy

Mary turns and smiles "this is my friend Jeremy, Jeremy this is Elijah!"

The vampire offers his hand and the boy takes it with a nod and small smile "it's nice to meet you Jeremy… would you care to join us for lunch, my treat?"

He looks unsure, that he might be a third wheel but Mary perks "Yeah, come on Jer… it'll be fun!"

"I'm not sure… I mean I've still got a couple of classes today!" he says, not wanting to get into trouble

Elijah smiles and takes out his phone "that's not a problem… Hello, Daniel… hey it's Elijah, I know, I know… look I'm going to have to pull Jeremy Gilbert out of the rest of his classes as well as Mary… thanks… tell Joan I said hello…bye Daniel!"

"Was that… principal O'Leary?" the boy asks with wide eyes

The original gives a cocky grin and nods "it was… his wife makes a splendid cornbread and now you're free from educational obligations for the day!"

Jeremy looks from the vampire to the blonde and smiles, raising his hands in defeat "looks like I'm coming to lunch!"

Elijah smiles to the boy and opens the passage door for Mary, Jeremy jumping into the back as the three make their way out of campus

Not half an hour later the three are enjoying their meal with laughter and Jeremy shakes his head as Mary retells their day in at the beach, showing Jeremy the pictures on her phone "that must have been awesome… I've never even been to LA!"

Elijah looks to the boy and smiles "so Jeremy how is Elena? She must be happy to have Stefan returned to her!"

The boys eyes widen and his fork in midair "excuse me?"

Mary swallows her food and says, looking from her friend to her vampire "I thought he knew!"

Jeremy looks to them in shock horror and says "you're the vampire that came after my sister!"

"Jeremy… I thought she would have told you about our deal, but apparently not…" Elijah says, wiping his mouth with his napkin

Jeremy looks to the blonde and snarls "you've been playing me!"

"No, Jeremy I swear I haven't… I didn't even know you were Elena's brother until you brought her up! Elijah and Elena made a deal, see he's going to kill Klaus when he comes for her… we're on your side!" she promises with a worried expression

"It's true, the lovely Elena and I reached a peaceful agreement… protection and Stefan's release in return for her to stop offering her head on a platter, to just stop and live her life!" the original explains

The boy looks between the two suspiciously and barks "why? Why would you do any of that?"

Mary takes Elijah's hand and gives him a sad, sympathetic smile, the interaction not lost on the boy "I have my reasons for wanting Klaus dead, as do so many others… but I assure you Mary intentions are honorable, she values your friendship and I hope that my involvement doesn't compromise that!"

He looks from Elijah to Mary and swallow's lightly "is that all you want, Klaus dead? I thought you two were buds"

"Yeah, but he's the bad guy here Jeremy… he's had this coming for a long time and Elijah is ready to do what's right. They haven't been friends for a long time…please don't hate me, it wasn't my secret to tell!" the girl sighs mournfully, hoping to have not lost her friend

He looks at her nods "you promise me… you're not out to hurt Elena!"

"You have my word Jeremy… my intentions are not against your sister" the vampire carefully choosing's his words

He nods and looks to Mary "ok… so are we having desert?"

The blonde smiles and picks up the desert menu with a smile, the vampire giving her hand a light squeeze and their eyes meet, a silent connection, between her vampire and his human!

They head to the mall after lunch, Mary making them all try on outfits, Elijah looking so very different in an outfit that Jeremy would usually wear, the younger man looking sharp in a similar suit to Elijah's, when Jeremy picks her outfit she stands in the dressing room and shouts "I'm not coming out!"

"Come on Mary… I ware that green thing!" Jeremy grins

He hears a deep sigh and his jaw drops at the sight of her, Elijah lifts an eyebrow and says "my… Mary you look…"

"Like a curb crawler! Jeremy you've made me appear like a prostitute!" she says in a pair of fishnets, a mini skirt and a backless red top

The boy just giggles lightly, the blonde walking over and kicking him in the shin "Mary…"

She looks to Elijah, who just keeps looking at her and says "I prefer my little catholic…"

Mary shakes her head with a slight smile and heads back into the changing room. When they drop Jeremy at home he smiles at the couple through the window "I had a good time today… Elijah it was nice to meet you, see you round Mary…"

Once their back on the road Mary turns down the radio and says "thanks for today… making an effort with Jeremy, he's a good guy…"

"I agree, he seems like a good egg! I'm just happy you've found a friend on your own!" he laughs and she smacks him lightly on the arm

However as they come down the dark road they see a something up ahead "What's that?"

They stop the car and Mary can't help but notice the body on the ground against the car and a man standing beside her, his face turns to the lights and she gasps at his blood glittered face "Oh lord…"

Elijah lets out a deep sigh and steps out of the car "wait here!" he walks casually over to the other vampire, Mary looking on in wonderment

"Damon Salvatore, it's nice to see you again. I see that something has happened, do you require any assistance?" he asks like you would a friend with a flat tire

The crimson stained eyes meet chocolate and he asks "what do you care?"

"I don't, but Elena and I have an agreement, you are on the list of loved ones to be protected and well…'this'… could be compromising!" he states gesturing to the dead girl

"I can handle it…" the younger says, wiping at his mouth as his eyes turn back to their icy blue

Elijah shrugs and backs away "if you say so… good evening then Damon"

He climbs back into the car, Damon trying to make out the other figure but unable to because of the blinding headlights. After a moment or two Mary looks to the Original and asks "what was that?"

"Damon Salvatore… seems the poor boys had a tough day, struggling with his perpetuity I suppose…" he says taking them off the road and into the back onto the main streets

He notices Mary's eyes look out the window with a sorrowful pensive expression "penny for your thoughts…"

She doesn't look to him as she begins "from what you've told me that guy… Damon, he's had a rough life! He spent over a hundred years hating his best friend, his brother and trying to save a women who didn't need saving, didn't even love him, then he meets a girl with the same face and history repeats itself… and he's left alone, again… I can imagine how much that must hurt, to feel utterly alone!"

Her eyes turn to meet Elijah's and she reaches her hand for his "at least we have each other!"

A smile forms on the vampires face as he brings her hand to his lips, placing a sweet kiss on the delicate girl's knuckles. As they get out of the car Mary gives Elijah a confused glance "I thought we were going home?"

She looks at the cinema and he takes her hand, bringing her close as he smiles "yes well… I thought we could take a small detour… Luka informs me that the Cinema is a good place for a first date!"

A grin splits her face and she beams "date?"

"Unless of course…" but she quickly silences him, pulling his head to hers and they share a deep kiss

As they pull away she smiles up at him, moving a piece of his hair from his face "so what are we seeing?"

He beams back to her and guides the girl with a spring in his step to the movie theater, neither hearing Mary's phone ringing on the passenger seat of the car… They get their tickets, Elijah letting Mary pick whatever treats she liked and they take their seats happily, the film was recommended as a couples flick and Elijah could see why, the drama, the romance… the making out in the audience!

He can see Mary biting her lip nervously, inching closer to the vampire, his lip twitches slightly and he ignores the screen, instead watching his human fidgeting in her seat and he leans into her the two making out like a pair of teenagers and he has to say, here, now, with this beautiful, blonde, broken girl running a hand through his hair, smiling into their passion filled kiss, pushing into his gentle, chaste touches, her trust, loyalty and love radiating off her… for him… and in all his vampiric life, he's never felt so utterly human!

Neither aware of the phone continuing the ring back at the car, it rings and rings, a message left, one little message that will tear their newly found happiness apart, leaving nothing but pain and heartache in its wake… poor, sweet, broken little Mary…


	12. Chapter 12

**Hey guys thank you for the amazing reviews as always! So this chapter is dedicated to my favorite reviewer who always reviews on every chapter and I love you dearly for them, they always bring a smile to my face! So** **DelenaxFantasy this is for you and I hope you enjoy… X3 JJ X x **

Mary sits zombiefied, staring out of the window with wide eyes like something out there could hold some sort of answer, her knees pulled close to her chest as Elijah sends her a tragic glance from his seat beside her. She'd managed to stop crying a few hours ago, but she hasn't said hardly two words since they returned to the car and she heard the message, demanding to get going immediately… they didn't even stop at the apartment!

As the double doors open and their walks a tear tracked man the blonde girl runs into his arms "Daddy!"

Elijah stands and watches father and daughter hold each other in anguish, both unable to hold back their tears and he thinks back to the eighteen missed calls and message on her phone that brought them here:

"_Mary… oh god… Princess its dad! There's… there's been an accident, your mother and peter! ….oh lord… just, just come back baby…come home!"_

He waits patiently for them to part then makes his way over to them "Hank, I'm sorry for your loss" he offers his hand

The blonde man takes his hand and nods "thank you Elijah… oh Mary!"

"I want to see them… where are they!" the trembling blonde begs her father

His face is mournful as he takes his daughters face in his hands "Mary I… I don't think it's a good idea"

"Please Daddy… please…" she begs, clinging to her father

He shakes his head and orders "no Mary! …just remember them as they were… please!"

She nods lightly, ever the obedient daddy's girl "if I may interject…perhaps we could find somewhere to sit and I'll let the two of you talk…"

Mary smiles her sad little smile and reaches for Elijah's hand, his fingers lace with hers and all he sees is the tears in her beautiful green orbs, the pain washed over them… while her father looks between the two, not lost on their exchanges.

Father and daughter sit in the hospital garden as he explains "they went out for ice-cream… that was all… I was supposed to pick Peter up from soccer practice but work well…"

She sees the guilt on his face and takes his hand "Daddy this isn't your fault!"

He looks to his daughter and sighs "I don't know princess… I just, I can't…"

She pulls him to her and they hold each other close both crying into the others arms "I know daddy… I know!"

She clings to him and the two sob "I'm so sorry princess… I'm so, so sorry!"

"Me to daddy… it's ok, I'm here…I'm home!" she promises him with tears streaming down her cheeks

They make their way back to the family house, Hank insisting they stay and then heading into the kitchen to make them something to eat, putting on a brave face after his mini breakdown earlier, he had to be strong for Mary, his little girl!

Elijah walks into the kitchen and smiles to the man "is there anything I can do?" he offers gesturing to the pasta pot and small array of ingredients

"No, thank you… this is the one thing I actually know how to make, Sophie was always the cook!" he chokes slightly

The vampire nods in understanding and takes a step further into the kitchen "I remember my father was an awful cook… not that he tried much, my sister couldn't either mind, despite my mother's efforts"

Starting to cook the pasta down he says "your family sounds very close nit!"

"We were…at a time, but I'm afraid they passed away…" this catches the blond man's attention

Hanks eyes meet Elijah's as he asks "your whole family? What happened?"

"Not all, my brother, father and I remain however… after everything that's happened we don't speak, we're not a family anymore… not since our mother was killed!" he explains, letting down his guard to show this man he understands

The two share a look for a moment and the blonde nods "it must be hard… how do you carry on after that type of loss?"

Elijah looks him dead in the eyes and answers "you find something worth living for!"

Hank swallows hard and nods "yeah… I suppose that's god's intention, his divine plan… could you pass me the salt please?"

A short while later Hank sends the vampire to go and find Mary because diner will be ready soon. What he finds after roaming the house and finding a true teen's room, hearts and stickers all over the white door, he walks into the pink, teddy filled room and sees his Mary curled up on the bed, staring at a fluffy yellow duck teddy in her hands. He walks over, shutting the door and taking a seat on the end of the bed "Mary…"

"My mom won this for me! There was this carnival in town and I saw this stall filled with these things… I spend all my money trying to win one, but I sucked so bad at shooting the targets, I cried my eyes out and when my mom found out she made a deal with the guy that if she could hit every target I got the duck and my money back! Sure enough she hit them all… that was the moment she truly became my hero!" the girl smiles as rivers fall from her eyes

Elijah feels struck for words, but as her green orbs look at him and she sobs "I can't believe she's really gone! How could she do this to me? How could she think I could live without her?"

He takes her in his arms, quickly flying across the bed "why did she leave me Elijah? And Petey… oh god he was just a kid, just a stupid, annoying little kid, who tattled on me, who wouldn't shut up and stole my stuff, who crawled into my bed when he had had a bad dream and always made me laugh… he was my little brother and I want him to just barge into my room and call me a stupid girl for crying… I want my baby brother back, I want them both back Elijah; I want them not to be dead! I want my mommy!"

He holds her close, cradling her and kissing the top of her "I know Mary, I know…"

That night after an awkward quite meal they all head up to their beds, Elijah on the pull out couch but being woken my the doll hands of Mary who asks "Elijah… I need you to do something for me!"

An hour later the two are standing in the morgue of the hospital and the vampire sighs after compelling the mortician looking between the two cloths covered slabs and the blonde standing amid them "I'll be right out in the hall if you need me…"

She doesn't look at him and just nods lightly but turns to the door at hearing it open "Elijah! …thank you…"

He smiles compassionately and leaves her to her business… to say goodbye!

Mary pulls back the covering from her littler brothers face and sobs lightly he doesn't have a scratch on his face, but the accident report said he'd bled out from a small puncher in his liver… she runs a hand through his hair, he looks like he's sleeping "Hey Petey… I'm sorry I haven't been around lately, I just… there's been so much that's happened, but I've missed you little man… missed you so much… even that whiny voice of yours… I know it's not fair, it's actually totally unfair but I know you're safe now… you're in heaven with mom, grandpa, nana and Popcorn! You loved that cat, damn thing always eating my bears!"

She giggles slightly, biting her lip at his lack of laughter and leans in kissing his forehead "night Peter Pan, don't ever grow up!" she sobs, pulling the sheet over his face and knowing; now he really was Peter Pan!

She turns to her mother and takes the sheet back; finding a large cut through her hairline and scraps on her nose and the blonde gasps "Oh god…you'd go on the warpath if you could see what they've done to your hair!"

She quickly starts moving the blonde locks and covering the wound with a hint of style "there you go, all better… oh mom, why is happening? I'm scared, I'm freaking terrified and I need you to tell me everything's ok, I need you to wake up and not be dead ok so please just… just come back to me! ...I hate you, you know? I hate you for taking him for ice-cream instead of going straight home, I know you were just being the amazing mom you where, but I can't help but hate you a little for it, for leaving me behind, your my mom and I need you! I just… I miss you, god better have answers when I die because I sure have questions… I don't understand why he had to take you away from me and I know what you'd say 'god has a plan and a reason for everything!'… Well he better have a hell of a good reason for this"

She looks over her beautiful mother and smiles, leaning in she whispers "I want you to know… you were the most amazing mother anyone could have had and I love you… I love you so much and I know I never told you this but you were my hero, I just hope your half as proud of me as I am of you!"

She lays a small kiss on her mother's temple and walks out of the room after putting them back in their frosted beds, hear broken heart crying for her loss… her sweet innocent kid brother and her doting loyal mother, after all 'in the eyes of a child mother is god'

When she and Elijah get to the house his phone rings "its Jonas… you go inside, I'll be right in!"

She nods and walks into the house, but on closing the door and turning on the light she hears "where have you been?"

She jumps in surprise and turns to find her father in the living room "Daddy…"

"I asked you a question young lady!" he shouts with an anger filled expression

She swallows and looks at her hands "I'm sorry Daddy I just… I just wanted to say goodbye"

He shakes his head and yells "I told you no! Why don't you ever listen… you used to be such a good girl…"

Her eyes widen and snap up at that "I'm still a good girl daddy; I'm still your princess!"

"No, I don't think you are… not since you sinned against god, only he has the right to take lives! And you must think I'm blind… a good girl doesn't run off with an older man and becomes his whore! I see the way you two are… it's disgusting!" he scowls down at the broken little girl

Her eyes flood and she bites "how could you say that to me? I'm your daughter!"

"Not anymore… my daughter is gone! I want you and your boyfriend out of my house by tomorrow!" he says far too calmly

Mary feels her heart being put through a shredder and begs, going to grab his hand "Daddy, please you…"

"I'm not your dad and you are not my daughter… tomorrow your gone!" he bites, walks past her and up the stairs indifferently

The small girl can't take her father's words and crumbles to the floor in a fit of sobs, not moving even as Elijah walks in and runs to her aid "Mary what happened?"

"He… he hates me! My dad he…oh god no Elijah… my own father is 'disgusted' by me! Why is this all happening? Why am I losing everyone… don't leave me Elijah, please don't leave me!" she weeps, clinging to the original like he's her lifeline

"Never Mary, I'm here, right here… always and forever!" he promises into her blonde locks

The next morning Mary is packing up her things, Hank telling her she could take whatever she wanted, Elijah left the girl to her private thoughts and stands at the threshold of the blond man's room "it isn't too late to change your mind, you don't have to do this…"

Their eyes meet and Hank goes back to tying his shoes "yes I do… this is what needs to happen, she needs to leave this house, this town and never come back… it's the only way she can ever truly be free!"

Elijah watches the man as he stands and questions "and making her hate you? Is that part of her freedom?"

"I'm the only reason she'd ever have for coming back, I can't have that… I'm her father, she's eighteen…I only had two jobs left… give her a good start into adulthood and keep her safe, I failed, but you didn't" he stands and walks over to Elijah

Once the two are eye to eye the young girl's father says "I see the way you look at her and she looks at you… you make her happy, happier than I've ever seen her, you gave her hope when the world, even I, turned my back on her… now you're going to take my princess far away from this place and all it's horrible memories and you're going to give her a fresh start, a new, happy, safe life and never let her think about all this evil ever again… ok?"

The vampire nods and answers "Ok…"

Elijah loads Mary's things into the car while she snivels at the sight of her father standing coldly at the front door, Boo giving a bark from the living room window as the vampires hand goes to the girls back, the same moment that hank walks inside, slamming the door on his little girl "Mary it's time to go…"

She looks from the house to him and falls into his arms laying a long loving kiss on his lips "thank you Elijah… it seems you're the only family I have left!"

Her head falls mournfully as she climbs into the car, not seeing her vampire sharing a nod through the upstairs window of the crying father… letting his daughter go, because her happiness is all he's living for now… even if it means her hating him!


	13. Chapter 13

**Hey everyone! I know it's been forever and I'm so, so sorry. A friend of mine found this story on my laptop and he said if I didn't update it he'd stop letting me use his wi-fi so guess what… hehe I hope you enjoy and forgive me for the wait.**

**JJ X x**

Elijah stands cross armed and jacketless at the archway of Mary's room, watching the blonde slumber after finally crying herself to sleep. He knows well the pain of loss, he knows her pain yet doesn't know how to comfort her, how to make her heartache lessen but he'll be dammed if he doesn't try.

"She's finally sleeping?" Luka asks, concerned for his friend as looks into the dimly lit room.

"For now, that doesn't seem like your usual beverage choice?" he questions at the overly large mug in the young warlocks hand resting on a small saucer holding two cookies.

Luka offers a small smile before he explains "It's for Mary; remember when she had that cold? She had like twenty cups with the marshmallows, caramel swirl stuff and cookies."

Elijah nods before wincing his face a little "Actually it was the warm milk she had the cookies with, but I'm sure she'll appreciate it never the less."

Luka looks from the original, the dreaming girl and the scolding cup in his hand "I just…I don't know what to do Elijah. Do you think she'll be alright?"

"Our Mary is a survivor and stronger than we could ever know, we'll get her through this Luka." He reassures the young boy with a firm hand on his shoulder. Just in that moment his phone chimes and he silently curses himself as he rushes away to answer it, not wanting to disturb Mary.

Luka watches him leave before walking into the room, setting the cup down before quietly turning on his heel to leave "thank you."

The boy stops in his tracks before turning back to she Mary has rolled over to face him, her eyes puffy pink but dry after hours of crying, her curls tattered as the covers are pulled high under her chin. He rubs the back of his neck awkwardly before giving her a tight lipped smile "I thought you were asleep."

"I was trying to but I can't, besides Elijah was hovering." she sighs with a halfhearted shrug.

Luka comes to sit at his friend's bedside as she sits up, taking the sweet drink and sipping through dry lips "he's just worried about you, we all are."

Her green orbs seem duller he notices, lacking their usual silver shine. They sit there silently for a long moment, two friends understanding there is no need for words right now, however at the sound of Elijah's voice simply echoing from the living room "I know Carol, I'm sorry but something's come up..."

Luka watches as the blonde stands, setting down her chocolate and making quick steps into the living room and snatching the phone from her boyfriend's grip, gaining a head shake from a seated Jonas reading his book and snapping on her cheery voice "Hello Mrs. Lockwood? It's Mary Covina, don't worry Elijah will be there, I'll make sure of it I promise."

Elijah gives her a quizzical look as the council member sighs in relief "Oh thank you Mary that is such a relief. I'll see both and one sharp. Goodbye."

Mary hangs up and Elijah fixes her with a confused stare, following the girl back into her room with an equally confused Luka "Mary what was that?"

She is pulling at her wardrobe to examine clothes as she explains "we have to go to that tea party, we have to mingle we have to let them know we're here."

Elijah and Luka share a concerned stare before the older man walks over to the blonde "Mary, you don't have to do this, everything can wait if you need time…"

She turns on her heel and looks him dead in the eye "I don't need time Elijah, I need a distraction, I need to get out of this room, I need to do something other than morn because I can't cry anymore, I just…" she stops yelling and rests her hands flat on his chest, taking a moment to breathe before meeting his caramel swirls "Please Elijah, I need to do something."

He rests one hand over hers, the other burying in her hair, stroking her scalp soothingly as he nods "whatever you want Mary."

A small smile falls onto her lips and she stands on tipped toes to kiss the thousand year old man gently, nose's brushing as they pull away and she rests on his shoulder in a tight, warm, loving embrace "thank you Elijah."

Luka looks onto the scene with a hopeful nod, she'll be ok; she's a survivor.

When they arrive at the Lockwood manner, hand in hand, you wouldn't know the girl before you was the same one from this morning, trading in her baggy jumper, sweats and tear tracks for a white lace top tea dress with a fresh pink skirt and a back bow, a pair of white bow ballet shoes, her short curls twisted and pinned to perfection with a thin layer of complementing makeup. Elijah looks at her with a mix of pride and worry, she didn't have to do any of this, she could have stayed in bed but here she is, the question is can she handle it all.

She looks up at him with those pale green orbs, still lacking their usual shine as a voice comes into earshot "Elijah, I'm so glad you came."

They turn to find Carol Lockwood smiling a hundred watts at the couple "well Mary convinced me, I remember something about tea?"

Carol smiles and leads the pair over to the table, intrigued as Elijah makes a cup for his 'apprentice' before himself, knowing exactly how to mix it. Once the tea is set the three stand and talk about the histories of Mystic Fall's, Mary only half listening as she scans the crowd for any familiar faces sneakily nudges the original, signaling that someone interesting has arrived.

He looks briefly to see Damon approaching the trio and Carol shines "Damon."

Damon shares a cheek kiss with Carol before "What a surprise… Hi. Elijah, Mary, I want you to meet Damon Salvatore. His family is one of Mystic Falls' founding families."

Damon looks over the duo, giving an unsure stare to the young blonde before he mutters "Mm-hm. Such a pleasure to meet you."

"No. Pleasure's mine." Damon and Elijah shake hands for a long moment, neither wanting to break the stare first until Mary offers her hand and the two part so the younger vampire could take the girls hand, making her wince slightly at his grip.

Elijah is quick to pull Mary from the deadly grip and pulls her safely to his side. Never breaking his gaze with the daring Salvatore as he sigh's "Mary why don't you go and make us some dinner reservations, anywhere you want darling."

Mary wasn't stupid; she knew that meant to scarper away from the deadly vampire that could kill her when Elijah's back was turned. So with a peck on his smooth cheek she leaves to two, but keeping them in sight as she makes an online booking until she collides with another guest "oh my I'm so sorry."

She says looking up to find a blue eyed man smiling at her slyly "It's no problem, aren't you a little young for a stuffy tea party?"

Mary looks at him like you would a rabid dog, he made her feel small under his stare and she needed some backup, and like the lord had heard her Alaric appears from behind him "Mary, I didn't expect to see you here."

"Hey Mr. Saltzman, I'm here with someone, business you know. Actually I better go get him, we have reservations." She walks away with her head held high, not looking back to the man she had no intention of speaking with again as she enters the study her beloved Elijah had gone to with Damon.

The sight that meets her as the door closes is of Damon painfully ripping a pencil from his neck as Elijah wipes blood off his hands "I'm an Original. Show a little respect."

"Sorry, am I interrupting?" the girl chips, like she's just found them arguing rather than bloodshed

Elijah dangles the handkerchief in front of the bleeding vampire who takes it eagerly before turning and smiling to his girlfriend "not at all Mary, I do believe Damon and I are done here."

She smiles and steps further into the room "oh good because I booked us a table at the Black Sheep for four. I've been dying to try that place, I've heard great things."

"Excellent." He smiles as he walks to join her, turning back to Damon with a stony expression "The moment you cease to be of use to me, you're dead, so you should do what I say. Keep Elena safe."

Elijah then offers Mary his arm that she gladly takes, smiling back at demon as they leave the room "it was nice to meet you."

Mary and Elijah walk arm in arm, saying their goodbyes, she rests her head on his shoulder as they walk out of the beautiful house and into the quiet car park the Original's arms circle her waist "you did amazing today Mary, now what do you want to do?"

The blonde smiles up at him with a bite of her lip and smiles as she pecks his lips "I want…ice-cream."

"Then ice-cream you shall have." He beams brightly and leans in, meeting her for a strong and passionate kiss before pulling away to open the car door for her.

Not ten minutes later and the two are rounding a nearby park, Elijah enjoying a fruity ice-pop while Mary gives kitten licks to her mint cone. She looks around with a sad glint in her eye at the empty park as Elijah pulls on her hand "Come on…"

She follows him gladly, both knowing that on any other day it would be her dragging him to the swings rather than the other way around. As her butt meets the seat, careful not to drop her cone, Elijah comes behind her pushing lightly "scream if you want to go higher!"

"Higher!" she screams with a giggle, going almost as high as the rail as Elijah takes a seat beside her on the next swing, watching her slow down.

When the swing comes to a near stop Mary bites off the bottom of her cone, sucking out the remainders of the ice-cream before devouring the cone itself and making Elijah laugh "what, it's the only way to at an ice cream."

"If you say so…" he smiles at her, a silence falls over them for a long moment before she reaches to hold his course hand in her doll like one.

Caramel swirls meet opal green orbs as Mary squeezes his hand, he's sees it then, the perfectly formed mask slip away and the sad, broken little girl breaks though "thanks Elijah. I don't know what I'd do without you."

He raises her delicate hand to his lips, kissing her knuckles with a smile before standing, shrugging off his jacket and resting it on her shoulders "let's never find out."

They spent the next hour in the park, spinning and climbing and having fun, something so rare and fleeting and what Elijah had almost forgotten what it was other than revenge he was living for… but then he found Mary.

As they drive, the sun has fallen and their heading to the restaurant "I can't get through to Luka or Jeremy."

Elijah looks at her troubled expression as she stares at the phone "I'm sure their just off fighting over the Bennet girl."

She gives him a halfhearted slap on the arm and a coy smile, but his brow frowns and the car comes to a stop "Elijah, what's wrong?"

"It would seem our werewolf friends didn't get the message. Wait here for me and lock the doors." It's only then she realizes their outside a large house. He steps out with a kiss on her cherry lips and she watches him for a moment before sliding out of the car.

The blonde doesn't follow through the main door, but she does quickly round the house, curious as to what is actually going on. The blonde slips in through the kitchen window, almost toppling over the sink as she climbs down. Once her feet touch the floor the young girl stills, listening to voices from down the hall and moves quick to grab the sharpest blade from the knife block as she tiptoes down the narrow hallway. She sees a man, older than her but still young he turns to her with a sniff of his nose, gripping her arm in a vice like grip "who are you?"

The werewolf looks at this pretty little blonde human in a bright tea dress and sees no threat, nor does her see her swift wrist flick the blade to cut his Adam's apple, like cool fruit on a summers day. As her arm falls and the unnamed werewolf clings to his throat, chocking on his own blood as he looks up to the innocent girl, crimson now staining her seamless dress and freckling her porcelain skin as she steps over him "I'm Mary."

She leaves the man to die alone as she walks to the arch of the Salvatore library, hidden by the shadows as she watches one already dead man on the couch as two other wolves rush at Elijah and Elijah, without any effort, plunges his arms into their chests and rips out their hearts as well. Mary looks at him, never having actually seen him kill she finds herself with a wisp of a smile and an extra beat in her heart as the female werewolf bolts before Elijah kills her also, abandoning her friend. Elijah walks over to the last wolf, who crouches down and pulls his jacket over his face in fear. Elijah pulls him up from the ground by his collar and asks "What about you, sweetheart, hmm? You want to take a shot? Yes? No? Yes? Where's the girl?"

Damon looks around for Jules, well as much as the contraption around his neck will allow him to and answers "I don't know."

"It doesn't really matter." Elijah punches the last werewolf in the face; the crack of his neck echoing through the old house, Elijah then removes the chains strapping Damon down into the chair.

They both look around as small hands clap together, finding the blood freckled girl smiling as she applauds, knife still in hand "well that was interesting. Oh they had another on watch, sorry about the rug."

Damon just nods in an annoyed understanding, hiding his astonishment well. Elijah looks horrified, she really saw him do those things? He's never intended to show her that side of him, but he knew it would happen eventually. However he sees no fear there, she face that's loving and perfect, even with the splash blood.

Elijah turns back to Damon and smirks smugly "So you realize this is the third time I've saved your life now?"

Damon doesn't respond. Elijah turns around, grabs the moonstone, and skips across the room, taking Mary's hand in his bloody one as she lays down the knife and waves with a wiggle of her fingers to the lonely vampire before Elijah pulls her out of the house.

He's tugging her along to the car and she almost loses her shoe "I told you to wait in the car! Why did you follow me Mary? Why don't you listen?"

He turns to her then, realizing he must be hurting her arm slightly and drops it instantly "Mary, I'm sorry, but you could have been hurt."

To his amazement she doesn't seem upset or even angry as she closes the gap between them, taking his hands as she shrugs "I just wanted to help, and I did. Hey how about we blow off those reservations, order pizza and make out instead."

Their eyes meet and he sees her smile; that warm, innocent smile tainted in blood speckles as her arms round his neck, giving the original a long hard kiss. His arms circling her waist, pulling her flush against him as the kiss deepens and Elijah flips them so his little Mary is pressed into the car, her hand pulling at his hair and teeth nibbling his lower lip, making him groan into her mouth. This kiss is far from the gentle and sweet kisses they've shared before; this is roar passion, the cages animals meeting for the first time.

As the kiss ends they don't pull away, Elijah smiling into Mary's green orbs, his heart jumping slightly at the return of that silver glint "Those are terms I'm more than comfortable with."

Mary giggles and kisses him again, full on the lips before opening the door to head home and tenderly caresses her locket and for the first time that day she genuinely believed everything would alright, no more pretending she'd get through, because she would, because god gave her Elijah and she knew they loved her, they would never leave her… and she'd gladly kill anyone who tried to take either from her.


End file.
